Good morning! I am halfway through a week-long training session that has taken me away from my family to the headquarters of the corporation for which I work. I have met a whole bunch of new people and learned way more than I thought my brain could handle.

This morning, however, I met someone who has nothing to do with my company. He is a waiter at the hotel where I am staying. I have seen him each morning, working the breakfast area. Today I finally talked to him.

He is a very tall young man from Africa. He has a bright and contagious smile that shows through his eyes. I don’t know that he loves his job, but I can tell he feels passionate about it. He wants to do it well, and that shows in his actions and his demeanor. He is also passionate about soccer.

He asked me where I had come from, and I told him Pittsburgh. He smiled and said he really liked the coach there. I knew exactly what he meant. He did not have to identify the sport. Mike Tomlin is dynamic and respected across the board.

I asked him if he enjoyed watching football. He said he did, but that he liked soccer better. He then shared that he plays on a team and has tried out for the pro teams in Chicago and Philly. The expression on his face told me that his ‘failure’ at those tryouts was not something that held him back. He took them as motivation to try again. Truly, I am inspired by this young man.

A few minutes after we spoke, he stopped by to check on me. I asked him his name, and he told me: Bobacar. (It had been on his name tag, but my old eyes could not make it out.) I am horrified to admit that I have already forgotten how he pronounced it, as it is an African name. But when he told me, I asked him if he had a nick name. He smiled and said, “Shorty.” “Because you are so tall?” I asked. He grinned and said, “Yes.”

I admire Shorty very much. He is working towards a goal. His joy and enthusiasm can be felt in every smile and kind gesture. Of course he waited on me because it is his job. But he was able to do so in a way that only a truly welcoming way.

I hope that the next time someone meets me, they can tell I am passionate about things.  I hope they can see my joy and enthusiasm.  And I may never see him again after this week, but I am definitely going to be praying he is successful at his next try out.

Go Shorty!