Last week legendary Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The winningest active Division I coach with a record of 771 wins – 155 losses, .833 winning percentage and 28 NCAA tournament appearances, it is a well earned award for a coach who has spent 37 years at Gonzaga, 27 of which continues to be as head coach.
Yet, if you know anything about Coach Few, all of those statistics are secondary. Yes, he has built a basketball dynasty, but what he really has created is a community….a culture. You can ask anyone of the 290 players he has coached and each one of them would tell you that being a part of the Gonzaga team meant you were part of a family.
This is actually not surprising once you become aware of the world Few grew up in. He was a small town boy where his mother, Barbara, was a nurse and his father, Norm, was the pastor of Creswell Presbyterian Church for 54 years. In the history of the church it states, “Norm brought a sense of humor, compassion for those in need, and a dedication to community service.” As Mark Few said, “We tend to mimic those we admire.”
Following in his father’s footprints when asked why he has stayed so long at Gonzaga, Few offered, “My father always said, ’Don’t mess with happy!’ ”
What a powerful perspective! In a lightning speed changing world that is ever propelled by a marketing machine promoting daily the must-have next thing, there is something very refreshing about being content with what we have.
Amidst all the pressures for the latest and greatest, it takes real intentionality to live in a space of embrace rather than grasp. Embrace the blessings that surround of family, community, and daily opportunities to love and serve in the place where you find yourself.
Don’t mess with happy😎
May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us. — attributed to Mother Teresa
BP