Spirit Magazine - August 2013 - (Page 22)

Your Words EvEn BEttEr than SkEEtErS Dear Spirit, I love the incredibly positive energy of Spirit and have been profoundly touched by a few stories this year. Following This is a hard business trip, “This the Greatest Sports Tale is the Greatest Sports Tale Ever Told. Ever Told” [June 2013] brought joyful tears to my eyes and moved me to write to you. Writer Brad Herzog had me from the first paragraph. There are so many beautiful layers in this story: personal motivation regardless of the barriers; faith to trust someone else and to value their wisdom; deep friendship; actions surpassing words; kindness paid forward; and the extraordinary happening when you least expect it. Thank you for sharing this tale and for reminding us that, in life, there are opportunities at every turn. 1913 2 01 3 you may not be familiar with the story. even if you are, the details are probably fuzzy. it happened long before the age of twitter, before tv, even radio. but we’ll just come out and say it: by Brad Herzog Illustration by Ben Kirchner T his month , 156 of the world’s finest golfers will converge on Merion Golf Club in the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore. One of them—almost certainly a highly touted, exorbitantly rewarded professional—will make history by winning the United States Open. Meanwhile, we will also be celebrating history—the 100th anniversary of one of golf’s seminal moments. Francis Ouimet’s 1913 86 SPIRIT JUNE 2013 U.S. Open triumph at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, will be remembered as an epic feat, a sport-altering event, a revelation. It might also be described as the perfect story. “It reads like a fairy tale. It really is hard to believe that it happened,” says Hall of Fame golfer Curtis Strange, who won the 1988 U.S. Open at The Country Club 75 years later. “It has the feel of a folk story or a legend,” agrees author Mark Frost, who wrote the definitive book on the event, The Greatest Game Ever Played, which became a Disney film starring Shia LeBeouf in 2005. “It’s a story that’s sprinkled with magic, all of it true.” What are the ingredients for the ultimate American athletic tale? Surely, there should be a dollop of Horatio Alger, something reflecting our nation’s self-styled mythos JUNE 2013 SPIRIT 87 —DENICE HINDEN sIlvEr sprINg, maryl aND Thanks, Denice. The story’s so moving they made a movie of it: The Greatest Game Ever Played. Send ’em in Write to us at 2811 Mckinney ave., Suite 360, Dallas, tX 75204 or email letters@spiritmag.com. For comments or questions directed at Southwest Airlines that don’t pertain to Spirit, please visit the “Contact Us” page at southwest.com. Our favorite letter each month wins a Spirit diner mug. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/spiritmag Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/spiritmagazine 22 spirit august 2013 I fly every week for work, and it’s a real treat the first of the month when there’s a new edition of Spirit in the seat pocket for me! Not only do I look forward to Gary’s message and your featured Star of the Month, but I also LUV the little fun facts you always include in The Numbers. Who knew a raindrop can weigh 50 times as much as a mosquito? But what I LUV most are your stories about people. Surely I can’t be the only Southwest passenger that tears up while I read your magazine. Brad Herzog’s “This is the Greatest Sports Tale Ever Told” was an amazing story to start my workweek. Thank you for sharing such wonderful history about the game of golf and an everlasting friendship. I actually took the magazine with me so I can share it with my children and friends. — CINDy CHIK aHIs a F U l l E r T O N , C a l I FO r N I a You make us wish we were a weekly! rEal ConnECtionS I really liked your article “Inhuman Resources” [June 2013]. As an insurance broker, I make new contacts almost every day. As such, I’m often asked for help in making introductions to prospective employers, many of whom insist job applicants apply online. While I understand the need to help screen the sometimes thousands of résumés, one thing is certain: Few of these applicants make it to the next step without a connection within the organization. This was obvious in my daughter’s recent experience getting a coveted internship in Atlanta. She worked her tail off talking with people who know others in the organization. Had she not made several personal connections, she would not have that internship. Personal connections pay in just about everything we do! —KEvIN CUmmINgs pHOENIx That’s so true, Kevin. “Friend” is still more than a verb. http://www.southwest.com http://www.facebook.com/spiritmag http://www.facebook.com/spiritmag http://www.twitter.com/spiritmagazine http://www.twitter.com/spiritmagazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - August 2013

Spirit Magazine - August 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
The Greatest Show on Turf
Flipped Out
Your Adventure In Grand Rapids
Life Adventure In Grand Rapids
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - August 2013