I ran into Rick Warren

Literally.  THAT Rick Warren

Years ago I volunteered at an event.  Rick Warren was the keynote in an arena of 12,000.  This multi-day event brought many big names, including authors, musicians and the national champion dodgeball team. 

My job was clean-up. I placed pallets of conference tchotchkes in upper deck seats, refilled green room M&Ms, and drank lots of bad coffee. 

Before Pastor Rick's speech, the emcees guided thousands in a game of blowing bubbles.  I don't remember if there was a lesson to the exercise, but I remember it being visually stunning -- 12,000 people blowing bubbles at the same time made cosmic with the help of stage lights and lasers. 

The stunt was also a complete mess: bottles of soapy liquid kicked over as people took their seats and groped for their coffee cups, knocking over neighbor's bubbles in the mix. 

Memories are often messy.

As Pastor Rick emerged from the green room, I grabbed a towel and worked my way down the aisle to the stage, in a towel-under-feet clean-up shuffle, praying that Mr. Warren didn't slip-n-slide his way to the stage.

Known for writing Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren is considered America's pastor, having been handed the mantle from Billy Graham (fittingly, the only two pastors to pray at both a Republican and Democrat President's inauguration). Mr. Warren's esteem is eclipsed by his humility. Stories abound, but that's not what I remember about Pastor Rick.

A physically large man, Pastor Rick made his way down the aisle toward the stage with notes under one arm and a handler in the other.  As he got to my towel, I reached out my hand to stabilize him across the puddle-o-bubble.  Pastor Rick grabbed both of my shoulders, looked me in the eyes and thanked me for caring for him.  He felt that my attempts at puddle-o-bubble cleanup were an act of service -- of love.  I sought simply to avoid liability, yet the one in whom 12,000 sets of eyes would soon be focused was focused on me in gratitude. 

At the tug of his handler, Pastor Rick turned toward the stage and delivered his message.  I'm sure it was epic, but I don't remember -- there were bubbles to cleanup.

I went back to the bowels of the arena and off to the next task, but I won't forget the power of the presence of a man solely focused on me.  Keynotes aren't needed in order to say 'I see you. Thank you'