Cloyde Taylor liked to spend time with the kids, and “they all seem to like me all right, too.”

That’s the relationship that got Taylor out of bed for 17 years to take his post as a crossing guard for Lawrence schoolchildren. It was a wonderfully uncomplicated relationship and yet more proof that life’s beauty often is found in its simplicity.

As reported Thursday in the Journal-World, Taylor retired last week. He’s a fine example of an ordinary person using ordinary skills to do an inordinate amount of good. Sure, his main purpose was to keep children safe, but we have to wonder how much of his true value came from being the friendly face children could count on seeing day after day.

Without question, there are many other people like Taylor who deserve the same praise. It is a shame that they don’t all get it. But it is also without question that we don’t have enough people like Taylor. How could we? Just think if we all had the opportunity to offer a kind smile or a nice word to 150 children a day. Maybe we do and we just don’t realize it. Taylor did, and he made the most of it.

For 17 years, Taylor went out into Lawrence’s busy streets carrying a sign that said “Stop.” If we really look at his actions, though, we might see another sign, one that reads “Go.” Go follow his example.