Greatness - What Is It, and Where Can I Find It? Post No. 16

An unusual day today. It started with a reminder of a memorable dinner hosted perhaps 10 or 12 years ago by our friends Doug and Peggy (in the above photo blissfully unaware of risk of rising sea levels in the Irish Sea). When we got to their house they had invited 2 other friends from the area, Pauline and Glenn, whom we had not met. After about 30 minutes of pleasant conversation (mostly with Pauline - Glenn was pretty quiet), I was able to figure out who our fellow dinner guests were, largely because of Doug's skillful questions.

The New York Times announced Thursday on its landing page that a long time Stony Plain, Alberta resident had passed away Wednesday at the age of 94. Without actual evidence, I believe this is the first time anyone from Stony Plain has been recognized this way, and it was this article that reminded me of that pleasant evening spent in the company of Glenn Hall and his wife Pauline. You will have no trouble finding stories about his life (he was more commonly known as "Mr. Goalie"). There are many stories about him and his Stony Plain barn, 66 years later still the most famous outbuilding in the region. In 1960 it needed painting at the exact same time the Chicago Blackhawks needed their goalie. Tension ensued.

Shakespeare (again with the Shakespeare, Mike?) in the Twelfth Night wrote words that came to mind today: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." The fact that the paper of record noted his death certainly makes it clear that Glenn Hall achieved greatness. But my most prominent memory of that dinner is that this was a man who had greatness thrust upon him. To say that he was humble is an epic understatement. I would have guessed, without Doug's helpful hints, that I was meeting a very content, quiet, dryly humorous semi-retired farmer who didn't much like to talk about himself. It's not too hard to find this sort of person hereabouts. The fact that he was really, really good at stopping pucks for a very long time was what he did, but it wasn't really who he was.

That distinction, between who you are and what you do, was on my mind yesterday for another reason.

I was in Calgary when I read of Mr Hall's passing, attending to some of the details arising from the death, before Christmas, of Jan's younger brother Dan. I happened to have coffee with a friend of my brother Rod, a man (Gary is his name) whose rather unusual career path has him often talking with kids, usually young athletes, some elite and all who are learning life lessons about teamwork, goal setting and growing up. One of his objectives, when talking to these kids, their parents and their coaches, is to get a conversation started around a simple question: "Who Are You?" Put another way, what do you want to be known for? Is that what you are known for? Very, very few will be known for their athletic achievements, Glenn Hall being an exception, not a rule. Gary has thought about, studied and talked about this question more than anyone I've ever met.

But what if it isn't greatness that is thrust upon us? What if it is terrible health challenges, or trauma, or a difficult upbringing that comes down on your head? How do you prevent THAT from becoming who you are, what you are known for? Gary has some thoughts about that too. I learned a lot and left with a lot to think about after a too-brief conversation.

Dan had family and friends (like Liz and Shane, who provided immeasurable support to Dan and his family) who knew the best of him: his loyalty, the things he was passionate about, his love for and care of his mother in her later years. His decision not to have a service or memorial marking his passing means that chances for friends and family to share those qualities and memories are harder to find, and that's too bad. We are left instead with memories of his hardships and how he dealt with them, which just isn't how I want to remember Dan.

If you're lucky, as Janet and I are, you know people, have friends in your life, who have experienced health challenges, or trauma or tragedy, or all of the above, and who are affected but not defined or consumed by those calamities. These people inspire us every single day. We are blessed to know them, we truly are. They are among those on whom greatness is thrust.