Adrian

Recently I joined a marketing group called BNI. We meet weekly and set aside a few minutes every week to mingle and talk informally about our businesses. During the mingle time last week I noticed one of the gentlemen was wearing a large class ring with the letter “A” on it. A few years ago I would have had a lot of judgments about a 40 something year old wearing a school ring. However, I have done a lot of work to rid myself of prejudices --- including an old and unwarranted bias against jocks, so this time, it was just something I noticed.

Yesterday, this gentleman and I met for a "One-to-One" to learn about each other’s businesses so that we can give better referrals.

He walked with a slight limp which I assumed came from a football injury. He shared that he had played football at Adrian College. But contrary to my presumption, the leg injury occurred later. About 13 years ago he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident and ended up in a ditch with his femur sticking out into the air. Somehow he mustered up the strength to crawl out of the ditch; and as life would have it, a World War II veteran was passing by and rushed to his aid. Together they tied off the leg to prevent more blood loss. The veteran said he had seen many people in the war with lesser injuries who did not survive.

As I listened to this story it occurred to me that the football training of his youth had saved his life. I now saw the class ring in a new light, as an affirmation of life itself. I pointed to the letter “A” on his finger and said "This ring saved your life." (Turns out the word Adrian means "strong" in several languages.)

Today on the drive up north Barnaby and I listen to Friday Night Lives, an NPR series on high school football for the 2009 season. I am reminded of my football player friend and am grateful to all those football coaches and players out there who show us how to survive and persevere.