Hickey Theology

In my life journey I have encountered individuals whose goal in their life was to make my life miserable. I think we call them bullies. These individuals go out of their way to find ways to heap pain on their target, both physical and emotional without caring about the damage they do.

I spent a lot of time in the last stall of the boy’s restroom at Southmore Intermediate crying with the words from the song “fatty fatty two by four” ringing ion my ears. When you are 5’4″ and 234# you were a target. On top of all the names they would use to describe me I also lost my given name. It was taken from and was replaced with ‘Tim Hickey’s Little Brother’.

All the girls who knew my brother never bothered to learn my name or they just didn’t care. There was even a teacher that called me ‘Tim Hickey’s Little Brother’ which caused all the kids to laugh at me. I hated school so I found excuses not to go to school.

I made through sixth grade to the seventh grade. I had hoped that things would change, but they got worse. I joined the football team and made some friends, but even on the field there were those who chose not call me by my given name. I knew that nothing had changed and I would have to endure another horrible school year.

I was feeling so lost, there was a darkness that was engulfing me. I spent a lot of time with my head down, not speaking to anyone let alone making eye contact for fear that another attack would be launched. I just wanted to disappear, until one day in the hall someone made a point to call me, ‘Shane’. I looked up and it was my 7th grade football coach, Coach Smith. He must have noticed the look of shock on my face as if I was hearing my name for the first.

Coach Smith had singled me out as if he knew the pain I was in and I needed some light in my darkness. It was that moment that I realized someone actually cared, someone finally acknowledged my existence. I went to the last stall in the Boy’s restroom and cried, not sorrowful but tears of joy.

I can’t say that all those acts of unkindness went away, but no matter what there was Coach Smith, who, every time, searched me out and made a point to call me by my name, SHANE! I was able to endure because someone noticed, someone cared enough to shine a light into my darkness. I have never forgotten Coach Smith and the gift he gave to me. He taught me.

There are people all around us who are lost, have been ignored and or forgotten. They have stopped looking up, stopped believing anyone cares. We are to be the light in someone’s darkness with words of encouragement. We are to help others know that they are not alone. I thank God every day for Coach Smith, who was my light.

Some years later Susan and I traveled to Cuchara, Colorado. I was to preach, and Susan was to sing for their worship in their little church. My sermon title was God and Dewberry Lane, I happened to mention Pasadena, Texas in my sermon.

After the service I was greeting those in attendance when a man approached me and started to tell me about how he was a teacher and coach in Pasadena School district. I looked at him and realized it was Coach Smith.

I practically yelled COACH SMITH and in the that moment he realized who I was and uttered my name, SHANE. We hugged and I got to fulfill one more thing off my bucket list. My list isn’t about going to see certain places or doing specific things but telling those who have had a positive effect on my life, THANK YOU. So, THANK YOU, Coach Smith for being the light in my darkness. Until Next Time…………………………Grace and Peace