Over a 12-year span at UCLA, American college basketball coach John Wooden won 10 national championships, and the university’s total of 11 remains a record today. Wooden is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in sports history and, more importantly, an even greater person. He was a man of integrity and character and was highly respected on and off the court. He believed in discipline and felt strongly about teamwork and demonstrating appreciation for those around him. This attitude of being outwardly gracious became the foundation of his coaching philosophy and played a huge part in his team’s accomplishments.
Wooden taught that each time a player scored, they were to congratulate whoever helped make the play. At first, this seemed sissy and awkward to the arrogant players, but the coach explained that even the slightest gesture of recognition would encourage the individual and create a stronger unity within the entire team. This awareness is now openly seen in every sport with high-fives and the various gestures of open acknowledgment. This reminds us of how powerful our attitude can be as it has the potential to motivate or deflate those around us. Inspiring words can build self-esteem, confidence and hope, but they only have a chance to be effective when they are released. Imagine what a difference we could make by simply developing a determination to show our gratitude and be an inspiration to everyone we meet.
I once heard a story about a man who dreamed he was in a beautiful palace and was escorted into a huge and elegant dining room. The man noticed an enormous round table with bowls of delicious food in the middle. Sitting around the table were people holding spoons that were 3 feet long. These individuals looked like skeletons and were starving. The spoons were long enough to reach the food but too long to put the food in their mouths. In anger and frustration, they kept trying desperately to feed themselves. It was truly a pitiful sight.
Then he was taken to another dining room, where he saw a similar table and the mouthwatering bowls of food in the center. These people also were using the extremely long spoons, except they were all glowing with health and vitality. The room was filled with light and laughter, and everyone was having such a wonderful time. Then he noticed the difference. With joy and compassion, they were using the spoons to feed one another.
May we always be kind and remember that everyone we meet is fighting a battle. As we choose to speak hope to the disheartened and offer a helping hand to those who are struggling, we can bring comfort to those who feel discouraged. Relaying a kind word is easy, yet to someone who could use a pick-me-up, these small acts of empathy can make a huge difference.