I Met God in 1C

I sat in Coach Bahn’s office, my heart pounding as I awaited his arrival. A message had summoned me here during lunch hour, leaving me uncertain whether I would be rewarded or scolded. My relationship with the head basketball coach had always been tenuous, filled with many moments of contention.

we lost by a mere four points in a relentless back-and-forth game. Despite leaving every ounce of energy on the court that night, my efforts fell short. The disappointment in Coach Bahn’s eyes as I walked off the floor and into the locker room was etched into my mind.

Now, I sat there, consumed by anxiety. “Hi Tim,” were the only words he uttered upon entering the room. I rose from my seat, waiting for him to settle before taking my seat again. He turned and reached into a box placed on the floor, retrieving a gleaming trophy which he placed on his desk. His gaze locked with mine.

“You were voted as the best in the conference by the coaches,” he informed me. Pausing for a moment, he continued, “Nine out of ten coaches voted for you. I was the sole coach who did not.” The weight of his words hung in the air, and he remained silent, awaiting my response. In defiance, I mustered a smile, reached out to take the trophy from his desk, and examined it closely. Then, I stood up, prepared to leave. “Is there anything else?” I asked, leaving the obvious question unspoken: Why didn’t you vote for me?

An interminable silence ensued, neither of us willing to break it. Finally, I reached for the door, pushing it open to make my exit.

“Sit down,” Coach Bahn barked abruptly. Reluctantly, I turned back towards the chair and resumed my seat. “There is a lesson here, one you’ve consistently ignored since becoming a varsity player. Do you have any idea what that lesson is?” His question hung in the air as I fixed my gaze just above his forehead, refusing to meet his eyes. Frustration seeped into his voice as he exclaimed, “This is the lesson: your current attitude, your refusal to listen, as if you’re superior to me.” Coach Bahn took a breath, his voice softening. “No one can deny that you work harder than any other player. That’s why you were voted the best in the conference. But it’s this very attitude, the one you’re displaying now, that the other coaches never witnessed because they didn’t coach you. They only competed against your passion and unwavering desire to win. They never saw this,” he pointed at my head. “Tim, you never connected your heart to your head, which means you were never willing to be humble long enough to learn. You refused to listen to me.”I continued staring straight ahead, unyielding. After a minute or two of deafening silence, I rose from my chair and uttered, “Is there anything else, Coach Bahn?” He gazed at me, and I sensed that he had finished berating me for the last time. “No, you’re free to leave,” he replied. Turning on my heel, I pushed open his office door and departed.

As I boarded the plane, the gate agent handed me back my boarding pass and said, "You've been upgraded to first class." I looked down at the boarding pass, "1D, bulkhead, great no leg room."I thought to myself. I made my way down the jetway, unaware of the miracle waiting for me.

Reaching the plane, I found first class already full, except for seat 1D. There, in seat 1C, sat a young man with no arms and no legs. I put my bags in the overhead compartment and noticed that he still had his backpack. "Can I put that up for you?" I asked. "Yeah, that would be great," he said.

Feeling a sense of discomfort, I sat down and said nothing. As the rest of the passengers boarded, I buried myself in my phone, trying to distract myself from the person next to me. Finally, the plane taxied down the runway, and we took off. The young man in 1C put on his headset, and I followed suit. We sat in silence, but I couldn't help watching him. With remarkable ease, he sipped his coffee and changed the music on his phone. I marveled at how he had overcome so much since losing his limbs.

Reflecting on my wife's habit of thanking service personnel, I began to feel guilty. Here was my opportunity to express gratitude to someone who had given so much for my freedom. Gathering my courage, I decided to get outside my comfort zone.

"So, where are you off to?" I asked. He told me, "I'm heading to Dallas and then New York and back to Dallas. What about you?" I shared that I was heading to Chicago. Curiosity piqued; I asked if he was meeting other veterans in those cities. To my surprise, he replied, "No, I am speaking to 7,000 people in Dallas and 10,000 people in New York City. I am not a vet; I was born this way."

His words raced through my mind: he was born this way. It was hard to believe. He extended his elbow toward me and said, "I am Kyle Maynard." I introduced myself, and Kyle proceeded to share his story.

"In 2004, I wrote a book titled 'No Excuses.' Oprah picked up the book and had me on her show. For the last 10 years, I have been speaking at company meetings and other large events," he told me. Eager to learn more, I began asking Kyle questions. "How did you learn to do all the things you do?" I asked, as I watched him peel a banana with just his elbows."I have never known any other way," he said. "Since I was a baby, my mind has only known a body with no arms and no legs. I had parents who didn't wait on me but instead challenged me to overcome every obstacle in my life."

Kyle also shared that he works extensively with veterans who have lost limbs in combat. He explained their challenge, saying, "Their minds are not as elastic as when they were children. Their minds still perceive a body with arms or legs, which makes it harder for them to adapt.

Kyle continued, “They give up not because they cannot do what I do physically but because their mind tells them they cannot do it. I go to hospitals, and they watch me. These veterans see what is possible. There is no physical excuse. They can learn to overcome their handicap. In fact, there is nothing they cannot do." Curious, I asked if he had ever worn prosthetics. Kyle revealed that he had never tried them because his mind had never known arms or legs, so it didn't know how to use them. "I am more comfortable without any support," he said.

Suddenly, my own challenges seemed trivial. I thought about how sometimes I look to God and ask Him why certain things happen. I couldn't help but ask Kyle if he had ever been angry at God and asked Him why him. “When I was 10, we moved from Indiana to Atlanta. I didn't know anyone, and everyone looked at me like a freak. I was alone, scared, and yes, that year I asked, 'Why me?'" Kyle answered. "But the next year, my life changed forever. I met some coaches who showed me that I could play football and wrestle. Since then, I have never looked back. There are no excuses," he said, a glimmer of determination in his eyes. "In fact, last year I climbed Kilimanjaro."?

As Kyle shared the remarkable achievements of his life, all physical, I began to understand that he had decided early on he wouldn't let anyone tell him what he couldn't do. Instead, he saw everything as another goal to conquer.

"Tim, it is amazing how powerful our minds are," Kyle said. "There is nothing we cannot overcome."

We often look at our lives and wonder, "Why me?" I now understand that with the power of God in our lives, there is nothing we cannot overcome. Kyle, with no arms and no legs, has proven that every physical challenge can be conquered. It's about trusting God and giving our minds the chance to hear His voice.

As I boarded the plane to return home this afternoon, the Delta gate agent looked up and said, ‘Hey, it’s your lucky day! You’ve been upgraded to first class.’ I glanced down at my printed boarding pass, and it read 1C. Instantly, my mind raced back to that unexpected encounter with Kyle. It reminded me of the time I sat in an office, listening to a high school basketball coach, and the important lesson he tried to convey. Over my career, leadership at both Jdedwards & Co and Workday had tried to speak this lesson into me, but I failed to hear their words. Humility is often learned when we hit rock bottom, but there are also moments and personal encounters that teach us to look beyond ourselves. The message is clearly written for us in 1 Peter, “In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

As I continue my life’s journey, I carry the memory of that day with me. I strive to live a life that honors the lessons learned and a belief in the extraordinary strength that lies within each of us. And in every seat, in every encounter, I remain open to the wisdom and guidance that God may offer through the people He places in my path. Because sometimes I forget that God might be sitting right next to me in seat 1C.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14