I came across an interesting article the other day - one that I think captures a brief but powerful case study of the importance of mentoring in terms of personal and spiritual growth. Here's an excerpt:

Every morning, Devin Hester receives an inspirational text message from his idol and friend, Deion Sanders. Hester certainly needed encouragement following the death of former Miami Hurricanes teammate Sean Taylor.

Hester attended Taylor's funeral Monday in Miami. Sanders came to practice Tuesday, preparing for his sideline coverage of the upcoming Bears-Redskins game. But Sanders also made himself available in case Hester needed more support.

"When he's dealing with something that's heavy on his heart, he'll send me a text," Sanders said. "He sent me a text last week telling me it was hard to come to practice knowing Sean would never be at practice again."

If you're confused by some of the names and terms here, let me explain. This excerpt was originally published in the Chicago Tribune. ...