My view of James Dungy's passing

I don't know James Dungy, and even though I know one day I'll have the pleasure of meeting his Dad, I never will be able to greet him. He's certainly in a better place, and a large part of me doesn't want to believe he took his own life, but I can understand the thoughts that must have been swirling in his mind before he did, now that I have a better picture of who he was.

These last three years have been the best three years of my life, and it's no surprise that they match the birth and life of my company, Sports Business Simulations. I feel whole because this is something I created that is still mostly an expression of my overall desire to "connect" with the world around me, only now I've figured out a way to get paid for it.

But there were times when I was around James Dungy's age, when the idea of leaving would pass my mind -- of passing on. My Mom would tell me "that's something that God would not want -- you would not go to heaven." Or she'd say "That's something black folks don't do." Well, we know that's not true. I knew that because the idea would hit me.

Like me, James Dungy seemed to be a highly sensitive person, and people like that just don't grow on trees. We have a super-high-level ability to read the feelings of others, and are the ones that create things. We take in a lot, and when we're young, we don't know how to sort out what is coming to us.

I've learned over time to trust my feelings. When I was his age, I leaned on my intellect much more, and wasn't always the happier for it. But fortunately, I made it past the days when I felt I was so different that no one wanted me. Heck, I wasn't even living with a woman, let alone a girlfriend. It's too bad her love could not overcome his pain. I only hope he didn't take his life, but if it turns out that he did, it's because of that mix of messages his super-sensitive self could not effectively sort.

Being highly sensitive is a gift, and a curse at the same time. If you're reading this, and know someone who is, go to them and give them a hug. It will make all the difference in their life-- and yours.