It is not often in life that you get a chance to meet a President. I consider my life changed by standing in front of Jimmy Carter and having a conversation. A sincerely human and humble conversation.
He was a great man and the world is a better place as a result of his lifelong commitment to peace and helping his fellow humans.
I need to go back in time to explain how this happened. My good friend, Del and I shared season tickets for many years at the Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego to support the Padres. We always sat in the press level, since our seats were next to the owner's box and we were separated from the owners and their guests by only a piece of glass. In addition, the rest of the fans in the Press Box were serious fans and we were able to watch the game without too much noise and distracting behavior.
The only way to get to our seats was to take the elevator behind home plate, and it serviced only that level in the stadium, reserved for the guests and owners and those who had press level seats.
Del and I got to the game early, as was our custom, and we were standing in front of the elevator door waiting for it to arrive.
Suddenly we were pushed back by several Secret Service men and Jimmy and Roslyn Carter arrived. They were surrounded by imposing men in dark glasses and I was only a few feet from the President.
Without any hesitation, and without any concern for what might happen, I stepped forward between the two men and held out my hand, saying "It is so good to meet you, Mr. President, welcome to San Diego." I guess I expected that I would be detained or stopped, but that didn't happen. Instead, Mr. Carter grabbed my open hand with both of his hands and looked me in the eyes and started talking. He held on for several minutes, while we waited for the elevator, and we had a fairly long conversation about woodworking and how much I admired his efforts to make the world a better place.
To my surprise, the Secret Service did not stop us, and when the elevator finally arrived, they ushered him inside, preventing anyone from following.
When I turned to look at my friend, Del, I could see the amazement in his face. "I can't believe you did that!" he said. I replied, "Carpe diem. When you see an opportunity like that, it is important to take the initiative."
During the game, we spent most of our time watching the President and First Lady mingle with those fortunate enough to sit in the owner's box. The Security men were standing outside the door, so he was free to engage with everyone on a personal level. Unlike other famous people we had seen in that box over the years, he did not leave early. In fact he stayed for the entire 9 innings and was the last person to leave, shaking every hand as they left before him. What a genuine and gracious and humble man.
His wife was just as involved and I still remember her smile. She was a beautiful woman, and it was obvious that they were deeply in love. A fortunate couple and a long and fulfilling life for both.
Rest in Piece, Jimmy.
1 comment:
From Sheffield England --- would that we had more Jimmy Carters in this world
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