I couldn't help think of an excerpt from JK Brady's post Gratitude? Pffft. Why Bother?  when I read a story on the Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs.  The excerpt reads: "If our heart is true, we seek no acknowledgement of any kind. The simple act of giving is the gift in itself. And it is a gift back to the universe for blessings received. That is all that is required when you are keeping the ego out of the equation." 

I imagine many at this point will be thinking "What stupid thing did this NFL athlete do?", and I am glad to say "Nothing!", with a big smile.  Very quietly with no fanfare, no alerting the media, "Hey, look at me, doing this nice thing over here!", Josh Cribbs did a very nice thing, giving his time and his presence to the son of late coach Mike Drake, who died in 2005 of lymphoma.  

Coach Drake recruited Cribbs to Kent State and was the offensive coordinator for the Golden Flashes during Cribbs's freshman and sophomore seasons. 

On October 30, Josh Cribbs showed up to walk Michael Drake, a senior receiver at Stow High School in Berea, OH, onto the field on Senior Night.  Michael had no idea that Cribbs would be there let alone walk him onto the field. 'I looked, then looked away, then said, "Why are you here?'' Michael recalled. ''I was shocked.''

Cribbs also offered Michael some advice. "He said, 'Play your heart out. This is it. Give it your all. Don't ever stop on any play. Keep pushing','' Michael said. ''I almost felt worried. I didn't want to look bad for him."

A report in the November 14th issue of the Akron Beacon Journal is the first it's been mentioned.  Michael Drake's mother is quoted in the piece as saying that Cribbs took great pains to underplay his presence at the game for fear of taking away the spotlight from Michael and the other seniors. This shows a humility that other professional football players could sometimes stand to emulate.

Josh Cribbs has shown his heart to be true and he did it with a class of character not seen enough of in the world  today.