Loyalty.  Love.  Perseverance.  In a world that is so quick to walk away from commitment, those words burn bring like a beacon of hope. Short-term effort is not what we are looking for…we are looking for a long love in the same direction.   John Wooden died on June 4th at the age of 99, four months shy of 100.  Known to thousands simply as coach.  Known for a record 10 NCAA basketball championships.  Known for a winning streak of 88 games.

But if that’s all you knew you missed the heart of John Wooden.  Loyalty.  Love.  Perseverance.   Did you know that he was married to one woman — Nellie — for 53 years.  In fact — they met when they were 14 and she is the only woman he ever kissed.  She was the love of his life… and since she died on the 21st of every month, he wrote her a love letter.  He wrote her 300 love letters after she died.  Loyalty.  Love. Perseverance.  A Long Love in the Same Direction.

He left a mark on the world, but not because he pursued success…  He left a mark on the world, because he pursued love.   Watch the videos…one is short.  One is long.  Both will help you think through the kind of character that leaves a mark on the world…through love.

The following video is a talk that Wooden gave almost 9 years ago at the age of 91! His character was shaped by wisdom.

So what do I grab from his example…to be a man or a woman who leaves a mark on the world?