Posted on 07/08/2013 6:20:30 AM PDT by Bratch
"Why did you stay?"
He asked me, unprompted, as we waited quietly for the light to turn green. My heart revved. I always thought he knew.
"I love you," I answered.
"That's what I thought you'd say," he replied. "But … why … why did you stick around and do everything you did?"
The answer to Dartanyon Crockett's second question was not as tidy as the first. Because life can be a knotted mess, and, sometimes, love is not enough.
Dartanyon and Leroy Sutton grubbed their way into my heart four years ago. As an ESPN television features producer at the time, I was always on the hunt for unique athlete pieces. For 10 years, I traveled the country, chronicling human-interest stories against the backdrop of sports. I covered Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan all the way down to disabled amateurs and terminally ill little leaguers who imprinted a special brand of heroics onto this world. What a privilege to be invited into their private pains and sacred celebrations.
But what I found on the wrestling mats at Cleveland's Lincoln-West High School in 2009 caused my spirit to sink and soar, all in the same moment.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.espn.go.com ...
New King James Version (NKJV)
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
thank you for sharing-made my day :)
Some people in this sad world really are just better than most of us.
She did something we all can and must do every day, care until we love and love with care, especially with children.
ping
Thank you for the ping, my friend. That is a heartwarming story.
Would that we all would be such "Gaurdian Angels," to those in need around us.
God bless Dartanyon, Leroy and Lisa who helped them.
Great story, thanks.
Thank you, pax
Got to the bronze medal and my screen got all blurry.
What an inspiring story! Thanks!
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