As some of you may know, this weekend I volunteered at a Special Olympics tennis tournament here in Houston.
It was a new thing for me.
Stepping out of my own, self absorbed zone.
Something, which I all too often, selfishly place too much value on.
Yet I woke up, went to help out, nervous, but excited.
Getting there, within minutes, I felt happy I found out about this event, committed to volunteering & signed up.
Immediately I noticed that everyone was so nice, so committed to making this a special occasion for these athletes.
These kids, THEY were the #1 priority!
No worries about Obamacare, stresses at work, finances, or anything else.
If only for this one moment, this one morning, this one breezy, overcast (which is a blessing!) Houston Saturday.
Put everything but these very special athletes aside.
That day, while refereeing a match, I met Emilio.
Little did I know, realize or grasp how Emilio would forever be part of my life.
Like all the other athletes, he had a huge smile on his face, was such a good sport, thanking the other player, shaking my hand & thanking me for refereeing (multiple times) & just simply....being happy!
I’m not one to get too sentimental (in public), but this was the first of multiple times that I had to hold back raw, genuine emotion.
As I walked off the court one time, an elderly woman pulled me aside & thanked me kindly. She reached out, & wanted to shake my hand. She was saying how thankful she was to me, & to all the volunteers, for giving our time to help her son & those like him. She proceeds to tell me about her son who was 50yrs old. Hearing how he didn’t speak until he was 8 years old, held a job with the Houston Independent School District for 29 years & how much this even meant to him, to her & all the other families.
***holding back emotion AGAIN! What the heck?! Are these people TRYING TO MAKE ME CRY!? Knock it off people!!!***
She explains to me how this gave her son the confidence to initiate introductions of himself to more people. [C’mon Lawrence, hold it together man!] Such a simple act that we take for granted. But, that was just it though. There are so many things we take for granted as simple, standard, "the norm", yet these were not "the norm" for these kids, adults, athletes! What WAS "the norm"? Smiles! Smiles on everyone’s faces! Each....and...every...single...one of them! Smiles, appreciation (even in loss), excitement. It was infectious.
[I need a moment alone to gather myself.]
During each & every match for the rest of the day, I struggled calling things out or declaring a winner. Yet, as always, the “losing” athlete, just smiled & moved on to the next point, game, match & event. I think, actually, I WAS more upset when they loss!
Why, because I saw it as something it wasn't.
Because I couldn't “see”.
I could only see with my broken vision being defeated by your opponent, trying so hard, yet coming up short.
I didn't “see” that by these athletes just being out there, running, competing, hearing the cheers of encouragement & trying 100%, they were WINNING!
Was it out? Yes. Does it REALLY matter? No.
Did I hit it into the net? Yes. Does it REALLY matter? Not really.
Those things did...not...matter!
Not in the grand scheme of life.
These athletes had already won something so much more precious than a win over a new friend.
More precious than a piece of paper.
More precious than really anything that I would have valued, but would have been a fleeting memory.
They won longer term gifts, definitely more precious.
They won pride from trying.
They won attention, encouragement & support from parents, families, friends &this ref.
So, as I walked back to my car, my soul on FULL, smile on my face, I thanked God for all the things that I have that I take for granted.
Little did I know, the impact would not end there.
Fast forward a few days later, & I'm driving to the grocery store. As I'm pulling into the parking lot, I recognize this guy pushing a shopping cart.
I paused, head cocked to the side, trying to remember how I know this guy.
"OHHHH YEAH, Emilio!" I said to myself.
I stop, roll down my window, lean over & yell out to him. It catches him a lil off guard.
"Hey man, do you remember me? I'm the guy who ref’d your tennis match this past weekend. It's Emilio, right?!"
He doesn't recognize me at first, but he has that same, constant smile on his face. It dawns on me that I have on sunglasses & haven't shaved in days, so he probably doesn't recognize me (heck I BARELY recognize me!). Then, as if a veil is pulled back & at that moment he can finally see who I am, he realizes who I am & a big grin comes across his amazing face.
He reaches in to shake my hand, & gives me an infectious “Hello!”, then (again) “Thanks for refereeing!” & proceeds to tell me all about his new job. Turns out he just got this job at Kroger’s grocery store helping with the shopping carts. He's absolutely beaming with pride!!
Once again, the emotion is overwhelming. I tell him congrats & that I'm proud of him.
He goes on to shake my hand again & ask if I'm going to ref next year too.
"OF COURSE MAN! Without a doubt. I'll be there!"
We shake hands, for the fourth, fifth, sixth, I lost track, time. You have to have been there. He just wanted to shake my hand, be nice, show appreciation, love, innocence. I'm all to willing to shake as many times as he wants to! Well, we shake one final time and off he goes back to work.
Driving off I hear him yelling to a co-worker, "THAT'S MY FRIEND!" & it hits me with a wave of emotions. I lose it. I just start crying.
So proud that me, a simple man, just one person, is HIS friend.
I'm more than touched to be called your friend Emilio, but I'm actually more proud that you are so excited to be mine.
In the end, Emilio did MORE for me than I could ever have done for him. I also must say “Thank you!” to Kroger’s, & companies like Kroger's, for giving such joy to great people like Emilio.
Also, thank you to God, for the moment to appreciate the amazing people that touch our hearts in this world.