Today I attended the funeral of our friend, Jack Giddy. I
wrote a blog post a few years ago about Jack who affected and influenced many lives.
While listening to his eulogy today, I thought of his fruitful 92 years of
life. Everyone chatted afterwards about his numerous accomplishments and
achievements, and how no one knew all of them. A few may have been aware that
he never spoke of his war experience. Some knew he trained the Sydney Swans
from 1986-1990. Many laughed when they heard he was disappointed Mel Gibson
chose Hollywood over professional running.😀 Most knew that Jack coached
athletics, but not all were aware about his involvement in modern pentathlon,
rugby league, swimming, beach sprinters and more.
Highly respected, Jack was an utter gentleman who was widely
loved. I remember talking to him once about telling his story and sharing his training
knowledge. He said that someone once asked to write a book about him, but he
never felt comfortable doing that. This disappointed me for his experience,
knowledge and wisdom may eventually be lost. I compared how oral traditions are
diluted with time with some facts and details forgotten. Yet today, people might
not remember all that he did, but they remember how he made them feel.
Before Christmas, I went over to cut Jack’s hair, as he was unwell. He was so appreciative and grateful, I actually felt a little embarrassed.
He complimented me on the haircut and said that my husband, Andrew was so
fortunate to have me in his life. Jack and his wife, Snow always made you feel
special and loved. Snow rang me later that day to tell me that Jack enjoyed the
Snickerdoodles I’d baked and requested the recipe. How could something that
took such little time and effort equate to Jack’s level of gratitude and
appreciation?
Jack was a wonderful role model and there were many lessons I learnt from him.
- Be diverse in your adventures
- Accept and try new things with an open mind
- Share your knowledge, expertise and wisdom
- Be grateful and appreciative as it takes no effort
- Be kind and give compliments…it can make someone’s day!
Surround yourself with role models who inspire and make you a better person.
Learning...it's never ending
@stringer_andrea
