Legends die hard.  Are they ever truly gone? –Marcus Aurelius

How long does it take to make a lasting impression?  One that stays with us forever and transforms lives.  Years of consistent strength?  Decades of high achievement?  A lifetime of moral courage?  Yes to all of these.  But sometimes, in a fleeting moment of seeming inconsequence, we can bury ourselves in someone’s soul forever.  This is the story of one such moment.

David Patrick Flynn was a living legend.  The kind of guy who was the life of the party and always in your corner.  And, for many years, Dave Flynn was part of our storied “Fearsome Foursome” high school alumni golf tournament.  We relived old memories, made new memories, laughed, drank, and (allegedly) flipped our golf carts.  Good times.

One year, there was a new golf pro at our tournament course, who headlined the obligatory “Beat the Pro” competition.  Dave immediately had this guy in stitches, spilling out one-liners and offering heart-felt stories.  The pro was doubled over in laughter and gave Dave a bear hug as we departed the tee box.  The entire encounter lasted less than two minutes and no one in our foursome gave it another thought.  This was a daily occurrence for anyone who came into Dave’s orbit.

Later that winter, tragically, Dave Flynn passed away from a sudden heart attack while playing basketball with some friends.  It was a tough blow on many levels and his family and the community mourned the loss of a good man.  The next Spring, at our Alumni Golf Tournament, we honored Dave by playing as a threesome, and pouring one out for our old friend.  When we reached the “Beat the Pro” hole, we didn’t even remember the fun encounter from the previous year.  But the pro certainly did.

“Hey guys, where’s your friend Dave?” he beamed!

We were all taken aback.  How did he even remember Dave’s name?  It was clear he was beyond excited for another hilarious encounter.

After a brief pause, someone stammered that he had passed away.  And that is when it happened.  

The pro doubled over and put his hands on his knees.  And his face went completely white as he shook his head in disbelief.

“There is no way that Dave is gone!”

A brief, forgettable  encounter from a year earlier had triggered a reaction befitting the loss of a lifetime friend.  Such was the legend of Dave Flynn.

And such is the lesson for all of us as we live our everyday lives.  We never know when we have the opportunity to change someone’s life forever.

We Have To Be Intentional

In our work lives, it is easy to cut corners.  To mail in a presentation instead of practicing one extra time.  To turn our backs on a co-worker instead of coming to his or her rigorous defense.  To let a tough conversation slip away, instead of addressing it head on.  To stay home instead of trying one last time to impress the customer.  But we have to realize that every opportunity, every encounter, carries meaning.  It matters how we carry ourselves.  It matters how we treat people.  There is no such thing as an insignificant meeting.  We have to assign meaning and purpose in even the smallest interactions.  It all counts!

And this is even more important in our personal lives.  Our spouse is looking for a rock.  Our children are hanging on our every word.  Our siblings are looking for guidance and answers.  Not everything has to be serious and rehearsed.  Some of the greatest moments are light-hearted and off the cuff.  But we have to be intentional.  We have to have perspective in the moment.  Because a seemingly forgettable two minute conversation could change someone’s life forever!

We Have to Accept Our Mistakes 

But what if we stumble?   What if we set the wrong example?  What if we don’t live up to this lofty ideal?  It’s okay.  We will all make mistakes.   We will have moments we wish to cut from our highlight reel. We will let down the people whom we love and admire.  It will hurt.  But resilience is not about being perfect.  Resilience is not about punishing ourselves when we disappoint our inner circle.  It’s about realizing that every moment is an opportunity to change lives.  And that means every moment is an opportunity to apologize, to strive to be better, to accept our faults and continue to inspire.  Sometimes, it’s just about setting the example of quietly picking ourselves off the canvas and moving forward.

Every moment is an opportunity to inspire.  Every moment is an opportunity to create a new future.  The world needs more of us in it.  So let’s get out there and make those moments count.

Thanks for the example, Dave.  Legends die hard.  And they are never truly gone.