Pep Talk: "Stand in the Gap and Lose the Gut"

With head bowed, eyes closed and heart open, your knucklehead scribe listened intently to a buddy’s words: “Let us stand in the gap for the lost and forgotten.”

My mind immediately raced to a wonderful recent memory. Daughter Rachel walking across the stage and receiving a diploma, at the Denver East High School graduation ceremony. In the stands were many gathered to celebrate kids (623 students, a record for the school) including a crew cheering on the University of Oregon-bound teenager: mother, stepfather, father, stepmother, grandfather, grandmother, brother and a trio of dear friends. Ten supporters. To steal Hillary’s book title, “It takes a village.”

That village has expanded and contracted through 18 years, weathered a parental divorce, seen mom and dad move to new frontiers and future spouses. Through it all, and I sure hope she believes this, a young girl’s security net was ever present. That thought came racing through my brain powerfully as my buddy muttered those words; “stand in the gap for the lost and forgotten.”

He knows quite a different story. A gentle soul has dedicated his life to serving the needs of Denver’s youth, especially those living in juvenile justice centers. The Kansas State Wildcat fan had recently attended a graduation ceremony for one of the kids he mentors. Ken Allen was the only one present.

No parent, no relative and no friends. No flesh and blood witnessed this young man receive his GED. A major milestone considering the obstacles self-imposed because of poor decisions and inherited because of poor support from his “village.” It didn’t exist, at least not in a healthy and productive way.

We are products of our environments. My heart aches seeing the young boys and girls of the north Park Hill neighborhood where Victory’s A Stronger Cord wellness movement is active. There are kids EVERYWHERE in that once-proud area of the Mile High City. What is not present? Men.

There are many moms, often with children from multiple sources, but few men. To plagiarize my buddy’s line, men are absent in, “Standing in the gap for the lost and forgotten.”

Folks, we gotta wake up. It’s a major problem dragging society down. We have too many kids without proper mentoring, especially from males. Cranium wanders to my upbringing in Raytown, Missouri, a Kansas City suburb. Talk about a village? Wow. Wherever I roamed there were people: parents, relatives, parents of friends, teachers, coaches, administrators challenging me to “work hard, make healthy choices and show love and respect for others.” It influenced me greatly then and, still, today.

Look around. We need to understand the times. We need to open our hearts. Where this week can we stand in the gap for the lost and forgotten? Maybe it’s not a kid. Maybe it’s a senior citizen currently housed in assisted living. Few get consistent visitors. There’s plenty of options. More and more moms, searching for positive role models, are bringing their kids to ASC workouts. Join us.

Stand in the gap and lose the gut. Serve and sweat!