“It was only then I knew … “
As a coach I’m absolute with all I work with … you must reach outside yourself with your aspirations, desires, define your end game. Life with purpose is as essential as the air we breathe. Gives us a vibrancy that colors the journey.This comes naturally with some. Less so with others. Infrequently, purpose escapes a few. But purpose and growth are the essence of why we’re here. God’s call.Dave Montgomery died on May 8th (See Blogpost “Monty”).
He was a driven guy. His purpose was vibrant, razor sharp. But his passion was like an internal clock … tick tock, tick tock. Quieter, ever present, without pretense. Monty’s emotional drive was for the most part internal, inside him. Never too overt. But last summer I learned just how bright and consuming his purpose in life burned within him. What it really was. In my recent post I wrote about our golf game last summer. If you’ve not read it, I’d suggest you might. We rode in a cart together for four hours or so. As we traveled one fairway, Monty … his eyes, glistening, staring forward said this …“Bobby, I’ve had a great life. So many blessings. Never had a real ‘job’. Just loved every day. In 2008 when we won the World Series I’d been up until all hours of the night. Lots to do. The morning after we won I was exhausted. Wild excitement! The guys insisted I be on the truck for the celebration when all the team would ride through the city. Ok.”“Early on we worked our way through streets along the route. Then we made a right hand turn that changed my life … forever. There before us were a million people, lining, filling the streets … up on light poles. Screaming!
It was only then I knew … that I uncovered what was truly inside me. What my real purpose in life was. It wasn’t to build the best franchise in Major Baseball as I’d thought for years. No, it was to serve the millions before me that day. To elevate the entire city of Philadelphia.”
David went on to speak at high schools, Rotary Clubs … wherever people gathered who wanted to learn more about their champs, and baseball. (They’d also won in 1980. I was there!! In a box next to the dugout for the winning game!) Wherever he could Dave Montgomery shared his incredible knowledge of baseball, the uniqueness of Phillies culture. What it meant to have the privilege of leading a great organization. It had been a moment. A flash in time on a truck. On that glorious day when Monty saw in an instant the purpose he was called to. It was only then he knew …
May be rare for this to happen in this way. But David was a rare person. Unique.Purpose … Purpose. What’s yours?Go to YouTube. Look up Phillies 2008 World Series celebration. Watch Dave Montgomery accept the WS trophy from Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner. “We are Philadelphia!!” his eyes staring upward as the millions cheered!