With the start of the 2021 baseball season—and the inevitable Chicago White Sox run to the World Series Championship—perhaps we are slowly edging back to some semblance of “normal.”
Baseball’s return also prompted one of my associates to send me an article about how Hall of Famer Jim Rice jumped in to action after seeing a five year-old child, Jonathan Keane, take a foul ball to the head during a game at Fenway Park in 1982.
The Keanes were sitting behind first base when Red Sox second baseman Dave Stapelton’s foul ball hit Jonathan in the head. Seeing this, Jim Rice immediately jumped out of the dugout, lifted him up, and rushed him into the Red Sox clubhouse where he received treatment. Jonathan was transported from there to Boston Children’s Hospital, where he underwent a life-saving surgery to relieve pressure in his brain.
As Jonathan’s dad stated: “Jim Rice likely saved Jonathan’s life. If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, God knows what might have happened.” Ultimately Jonathan made a full recovery, as detailed in this video.
In Chicago this past weekend, there was a case of road rage that resulted in a one year-old child being shot. While a number of people saw what had happened and kept going, one motorist sprung in to action and grabbed the child and his grandmother and rushed them to the hospital where the surgeons performed emergency surgery to save his life. These stories highlight the fact that when people take action, good things can happen.
One of my friends likes to say: “Some people make things happen; other people wonder, ‘What happened?’. For me, one of the interesting aspects of the COVID pandemic has been seeing people who “make things it happen.” I have been inspired by those who have stepped forward to serve others and help alleviate the stress and strain resulting from COVID.
As I read stories about Jim Rice saving Jonathan Keane’s life, or the driver who rescued a one year-old child, it reminds me that each one of us has the power to be a “Difference Maker.” It may not be as dramatic as saving someone’s life, but don't underestimate the power of an encouraging phone call or visit to a friend.
In 2014, my younger sister Kate passed away. Kate was a “Champion Encourager” and was recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as one of America’s outstanding college professors. At the reception after the funeral mass, one of her former students came up to me and told me that Kate had literally saved his life. He was not doing well in school, was depressed, and was seriously contemplating taking his life.
Sensing that there was a problem, Kate acted. As she would do when she wanted to grab your attention, she put her hands on his cheeks, looked him right in the eyes and told him: “I believe in you, and I am not going to let you fail!” It was the first time this student had heard the words: “I believe in you!” But Kate didn’t just utter those words, she followed through and this student got his life together, graduated and went on to pursue his career.
As you head in to the weekend, may I challenge you with this question: Is there someone out there who needs to hear from you, someone who needs to know that you believe in them?
Years ago I heard a great message that closed with these words. “If you knew you had one day to live, who would you call, what would you say, and what is keeping you from doing it right now?”
In Thessalonians, we are instructed: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” So perhaps you can pick up the phone, send someone an email, or better yet, write a hand-written note and let someone know how much they mean to you and be that “difference maker” for that friend or family member.