What I Learned From Jimmy

I met Jimmy on the train.

He was middle-aged. Scruffy red hair. Thirty-one, actually... he told me himself.

Jimmy had special needs. His carer, a giant of a man, equally graceful and warm, sat beside him.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Jimmy.

He was greeting everyone. Asking their names. Their pets birthdays. Twitching in his seat, mumbling under his breath.... and somehow the most magnetic person in the carriage. Genuinely curious. Warm. Polite and respectful.

At each stop, people got off the train and said goodbye to him. Jimmy would leap up, wave, and call out their name.

An absolute masterclass in people skills.

Jimmy may need special care. He’s also an extraordinary human being.

We walk past people like Jimmy every day and see their limitations before we see their gifts.

Jimmy has more to teach us than most.

You Are Important. Every single one of us.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​