Fridays with Mac: Be There

It was the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, your scribe’s writing beneath a picture hanging just to my left in the man cave. Dear buddy Pete “Chester” Guignon sent it a few years ago. From behind the Kansas City Chiefs’ huddle of the Lenny Dawson years, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is calling a play.

Huddles back then had the whole team in front of the quarterback. Like a teacher directing pupils. It’s a beautiful shot and a cherished gift. I grew up in KC idolizing Dawson and the Chiefs.

Those warm and fuzzy thoughts have competition inside this lucky 66-year-old dude with a new lease on life thanks to Cathie Hitchcock and the health care world. This fan of Mahomes and the current KC crew wished for history to happen. It didn’t. Kudos to the Eagles. The far better team. Thoughts kept resonating on the day before the big game.

A Stronger Cord works closely with the Denver Rescue Mission providing social wellness programs for guys in the mission’s “New Life Program.” Our stuff is dedicated to helping guys on the comeback trail build new social networks, serve others and take care of their bodies. We believe those three positives can help them build a stronger cord to their families, purpose and communities. Trust me, in these days of far too many folks on the streets? We’d all win if more men achieved that goal.

Anyway, back to the point. About seven of us were hanging out talking sports, life and faith on a Service Saturday when one of the guy’s in the program came up with an excellent idea. The group had been talking about a beloved friend. He’s hit some turbulent waters and is struggling with anxiety, depression and a loss of spirit.

Others asking your scribe about this special man hear the words of dearly departed buddy Bill McCartney, “He’s a wounded duck.” Yes this cherished buddy is wounded. That’s when an engaging guy in DRM’s NLP shouted with enthusiasm. “Let’s go see him!”

Duh, it was a chilly Colorado Saturday in early February. Sunny. Perfect for a brisk walk in brisk temperatures. Our fallen comrade lives about a ten-minute walk from the Rescue Mission’s Crossing facility in northeast Denver. That’s where all the NLP dudes live.

We marched with purpose to lift up and walk beside a fallen comrade. This tall and lanky fellow seemed uplifted by our presence and concern. Pray for this wonderful man. It’s like the pilot light on the water heater no longer works. It needs re-ignition.

The cranium then flips back to thinking about McCartney. Holy smokes. This special guy, when he know you were wounded? When he said, “I’m praying for you?” He meant it. At the Hall of Fame football coach’s memorial service? Each of his three sons and a grandson talked about the “lists.” What?

Yep. When McCartney said he was “praying for you” it wasn’t just lip service. The 84-year-old was beloved by many. He’d always write down your name and pray for you. Over time, those lists grew VERY LONG. Mac would spend a few hours each morning praying for others.

Zip. The focus jumps back to something pretty simple. Life is full of twists and turns leaving us, and others, wondering “What the heck is going on around here?” Often, with a realistic question, “Why is it happening to me?” We often are wounded ducks.

It’s good to have a posse of friends nearby doing its best to make sure those wounded ducks know they are loved, valued and capable of snapping out of the current funk suffocating mind, body and spirit. Others believe in them.

I can remember going through my first divorce. Handsome and now 35-year-old son was just five. His old man had been blindsided. I used to play quarterback and never took a blindside hit like that. It hurts but, here’s comes McCartney again, “You gotta get back up!”

Helping me get back up along with McCartney during that first divorce? Friends and family. The latter came out from KC often. Blessed.

Stuff happens. Wounds occur. Be there for somebody.