Every Friday, the WSJ has a wonderful feature called “House Call” about a celebrity and the home he or she grew up in. The articles are fascinating b/c the celebrities share insights about their childhoods that we’d otherwise never see.
The basketball great Larry Bird was featured recently, and the article did not disappoint. Mr. Bird was the fourth of six kids, living in a two-bedroom home in Indiana. His mother worked two jobs, walking home to attend to her kids between shifts. She walked b/c they did not own a car. Mr. Bird slept on the porch, even in winter, b/c there was no room in the house.
Mr. Bird’s father was an alcoholic who took his own life when Mr. Bird was a young man.
What struck me most about the article was Mr. Bird’s acceptance of his circumstances, and how he never succumbed to “victim-hood.” He learned to play basketball with a coffee can and a rubber ball, before switching to an asphalt court.
He became great by just working really, really hard irrespective of his circumstances.
There is a Realtor in Albany, CA we really like and respect; he loves to remind people, who are always chasing the best technology and work environment, that nothing will ever replace the need for hard work. Mr. Bird’s article is a great reminder.
Here is a link to the article: House Call with Larry Bird
Jay Voorhees
Founder/Broker | JVM Lending
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(Image courtesy of NBA.com)
