This is Jimmy. I met Jimmy at Starbucks the other day. He just started talking to me and I soon realized that he just might be the happiest, most positive person I’ve ever met, and he has every reason NOT TO BE! We were sitting together on the bar stools at Starbucks. I was focused on my MacBook and he was busy talking with everyone that walked by. I heard him ask Amy, a very smiley Starbucks employee, what her positive for the day is. He gave her time to think about it and changed the subject. I was still focusing on my MacBook. Jimmy turns to me and asks me a question about technology. There must be a sign on my forehead that says I’m a tech director. 
So we started talking about stuff and before I know it Jimmy is sharing his story with me. I didn’t mind the interruption at all… he is one inspirational dude!
Here’s the low down…
Jimmy was crossing a street with his girlfriend on July 6th 2003 when they were struck by a car which had run a red light. The car was traveling at 50mph. Jimmy’s girlfriend met Jesus that day. He was given 1,000,000/1 odds that he would survive and was actually in a coma for two weeks. A priest came to his hospital room and read him his last rights. It is only by the grace of God he made it through. The accident left Jimmy with a battered up body and a brain injury. He says that a broken leg and a broken arm can heal. His brain injury is something he’s living with for the rest of his life.
Jimmy now walks with a cane. He doesn’t have very good balance. The day I met Jimmy was the 375th consecutive day that he had spent in the gym chasing his dream. He dreams that one day he won’t need his cane anymore. Jimmy wants to Run in the Sun again. Even though Jimmy can’t run in the sun himself right now. He’s doing everything he can to help the people around him. Jimmy says,
Nobody can be who they were yesterday. Everyday is a new day and you gotta be the best you can. Surround yourself with positivity.
I was told of a story of when he spent some time at Marion Joy, a rehabilitation clinic in our county. He was walking through the hallway and found somebody arguing with themselves in a mirror. Jimmy walked over to the man and introduced himself as the “Mayor of Marion Joy”. Jimmy told the man that he was looking for a Head of Security and asked if the man would be interested. He was! The man never argued with himself again. There were people in that clinic that were worse off than he was. At the time, he didn’t know who he was but he was doing everything he could to help others find who they were in the midst of their illnesses.
Jimmy said that one day they’ll make a movie about him called Run in the Sun. It’ll be about a guy who is working his way to the top and he temporarily got stopped. Jimmy said that he just wants to move forward. He doesn’t want to be reminded of what’s behind him.
What a great way to go through life! Don’t worry about the things in your past that you cannot change. Instead, focus on how you can make each day better. Jimmy has been trying to reconnect with his family. It has been 3 years since he has talked with his father. But he is not giving up hope. In the brief time I spent talking with him, the thought of someday seeing his father again seems to be what is driving him to be the best person he can be.
In spite of all Jimmy has been through in the past 6 years, he is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. His smile is infectious and he can’t help but say hello to strangers in an attempt to brighten their day. If I only had half the positive energy that he has…
Jimmy says that nobody is perfect except for God, and God’s given him a second chance to help others while at the same time helping himself.
What’s your positive for today?
