Genuine. Refreshing. Inspiring. Sunshine on a cloudy day. Yesterday I walked to the company’s mailbox and there was an unexpected package. It was squishy and in an envelope that wouldn’t tear open, so I had to wait till I got back to my office to open it. What I found inside still has me smiling.
The package contained a limited edition, super-cool cycling jersey designed for Team Zimbabwe and the Elephant Rock Ride! Jerry Jacobson, CEO and Co-founder of PatientNOW had remembered from a long time back a short conversation we had about waterskiing, troubled knees, and my newfound passion for cycling. I had never heard of Team Zimbabwe and the Elephant Rock bike ride, but now I’m a LOYAL fan. This is PatientNOW’s second year of participating in the ride that covers 62 miles with 4100 feet of climb. The team rides to raise awareness and donations for the Heather Chimhoga Orphan Care Center in northeastern Zimbabwe.
Jerry will never look the same to me. A simple act of kindness. Remembering my name, remembering my love of sports, and sending me a super-cool biking jersey that I will wear with attitude. When wearing it I will be faster and stronger. It’s wonderful to have others believe in you, but it all starts inside. Inside ME. Knowing I have what it takes to win, to succeed in life. To love, laugh, and to stop and enjoy a sunrise or sunset. To know some of my best successes don’t happen in my chair at work, but by being genuine and human to another person.
Something changes when you push your physical body to its limits, peddling hard 100 miles or more, when you have made peace with being tired and love bumping up against it and beating it down, when you have a circle of friends that you run hard with. Thank you Jerry.
