John Baker was a middle distance runner on the University of New Mexico’s track team. As one of the nation’s top milers, he was destined to fulfill his dream of becoming a future Olympic hopeful. After graduation, he began coaching at Aspen Elementary School in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. While on a training run one day, he fell to his knees with pain in his chest and abdomen. Exploratory surgery revealed terminal cancer that had spread throughout his body. The doctors gave him less than six months to live.
John had a choice to make. Would he fall into a depression and curse the unfairness of life, or would he make the most of the time he had left? He decided to devote the rest of his life to children. In addition to his duties at Aspen Elementary, John helped his best friend, John Haaland, coach the Duke City Dashers, a small track club for girls from elementary school through high school. He spent endless hours teaching not only athletic skills but skills for life as well.
One of the athletes had a younger sister who wore a leg brace. John spent as much time with her as he did with any of the “stars.” He taught them self-worth, not based upon their talent but their efforts. He gave medals to the “triers” as well as the winners. Who were the triers? They were the girls who never won or even placed in the meets but gave a supreme effort at the meets and in practice. Incidentally, the medals John gave them were from his many championships as a great athlete. These treasures of his life were given as a token from his heart. The Duke City Dashers did so well that they qualified for the AAU National Championships!
John Baker’s race was over shortly thereafter. He died as he had lived: as a true champion. After his death, the community changed the name of Aspen Elementary to John Baker Elementary as a memorial to a courageous and giving spirit. So many lives touched, so many dreams achieved. He was a shining example of winning.
Author Michael Roemer wrote, “We die as we have lived; we bring to this last great act of our lives whatever we have brought to earlier acts. In this sense, we can’t really learn to die; we can only learn to live.”
Perhaps the greatest gift you can give to anyone is the gift of yourself. As humans, we all have the wonderful talent of spreading kindness. Whether to a co-worker, a small child, the elderly, or a person on the streets, every smile, every hello, and every kind word we give them takes seed and grows in the human heart.”
For just one day, try this: live a day of giving. Take the time to say hello to strangers, compliment someone in the workplace, tell your spouse something you appreciate about him or her, let your customers know how important they are, or tell a child something positive about himself or herself. At the end of that day, take a moment to reflect on how it made you feel and what it did for others. The greatest gifts of life are the little things we do. The seeds of kindness grow into wondrous things.
Ken Taylor is one of the most popular speakers and trainers in the mortgage and real estate industries and is known nationally as “America’s Corporate and Personal Coach.” Throughout his career, he has spoken to more than 100,000 sales professionals. He has written hundreds of articles for publication and more than 30 training programs, and he consults with some of the nation’s top companies. Visit his website at www.kentaylorandassociates.com. Ken can be reached at (904) 280-3060 or ktaylo43@bellsouth.net.