“He’s cool, he’s chill, he’s my brotha,” sophomore Jaz Jennings commented.
“He lights up the hallways with his kindness,” sophomore Charley Churchville said.
“I love him! He’s so upbeat and has such a welcoming energy,” sophomore Juniper Rooze shared.
Ask those at Community High School who Carl Taylor is, and their demeanor will shift as their lips part into a smile, conveying their admiration for the CHS custodian. But who is he? What are his goals, his values and his views on life? How did he get to where he is now?
From a young age, Taylor’s mother encouraged him not to think about the numbers in his life, like his age, years or dates, and to rather focus on things that matter. When he was young, he didn’t understand what this advice meant or why this was significant. But as he got older, his mother’s words started to make sense; piecing your life together by what you did at particular times only serves to demonstrate how short your time on Earth is, and it will often stop you from living in the moment. Now, Taylor thinks about his life not through what he was able to accomplish at a certain age, but rather through the experiences he has lived through and how they’ve made him grow.
“I don’t believe in numbers, because I wasn’t raised like that,” Taylor said. “A number tells you when you’re ready to die. That’s the mindset. The indigenous people didn’t have any numbers and they lived 200, 300 years on Earth all because they had a different mindset and lived life differently.”
With his grandma having a career in real estate, Taylor was able to move to many different places throughout his life. Having traveled all over the globe, Taylor gained new experiences and memories every new place he visited. From Miami to Detroit to New York City to California to Cuba to Africa, Taylor has picked up many valuable life lessons.
“Traveling has made me who I am now,” Taylor said. “The more places you travel to and the more people you meet, the more you grow. If a person stays in one place their whole life, there’s no growth in that. There’s only growth when you see more things because when you see more things, you get to think more things and have more things to talk to people about.”
It all started in Miami, where Taylor was born. As a kid, Taylor was very free-minded and carefree. He didn’t have any responsibilities and never had to worry about things like bills or work. Taylor spent his childhood days playing with the other kids in his neighborhood and using his imagination to pretend he was different superheroes or wild animals.
“I was a kid, and I was able to be a kid,” Taylor said. “We didn’t have cell phones or any electronic distractions. Our distractions were using our minds, being creative, playing with each other, climbing trees and figuring interesting things out.”
Although he didn’t realize it at the time, Taylor’s easygoing childhood taught him one valuable lesson that he’s been trying to follow ever since: it’s important to not take things too seriously at times. Taylor believes that being silly is one of the most important characteristics to have; there is both freedom and authenticity in being the unapologetically folly way he was in his youth. Acting goofy can always be a place for comfort and ease when life is challenging and demanding.
After Taylor graduated from junior high school in Miami, he moved to Detroit, where he attended high school. Taylor was heavily involved in high school, balancing playing basketball, football, wrestling and even kickboxing while earning excellent marks in all of his classes. Even though he was very busy during this period, high school was one of the best times of Taylor’s life. From school dances to sports games to the part-time job he had at McDonald’s with his friends, Taylor formed many extraordinary memories during this time.
“High school was arguably the best time of my life,” Taylor said. “I did so many things and met so many amazing people that I never saw again. But at the same time, high school was the worst time because I didn’t want it to end, and I knew I was going to miss everybody once it ended.”
All the exciting things Taylor did in high school taught him more about the importance of living in the moment. Reflecting on what you could have done differently in the past doesn’t serve any purpose and could tarnish the memory with regret. You can’t change your past, and worrying about either the future or the past could blind you to everything that you’re currently experiencing. Taylor enjoyed high school so much because he was always living in the moment and doing things that made his current self happy. This showed Taylor how focusing on the present is the only way you can enjoy and appreciate life.
After graduating from high school in Detroit, Taylor moved to New York City. While in New York, Taylor worked as a barber, where he styled hair and interacted with people from countless different ethnicities and backgrounds.
“I loved cutting hair because I got to meet so many different nationalities of people,” Taylor said. “In New York, people come from so many different walks of life. On practically every street, you see people from at least 10 different cultures and ethnicities.”
Every day at work, Taylor did much more than cut hair; he made an attempt to get to know all his clients. Connecting with so many people with different customs and values showed Taylor the importance of communication.
“Communication is the best thing people can do that we don’t do enough,” Taylor said. “The more we communicate, the more we get to learn about each other and love each other.”
Taylor moved from New York City to Long Beach, California, where he stayed for a long time. In California, Taylor worked at a car wash. It was also during this time that Taylor traveled out of the country for the first time. Taylor traveled to Ghana three times along with Cuba. Out of all the places he’s traveled to, Ghana was his favorite because of the beautiful culture and values of the citizens.
“America is so much built off racism,” Taylor said. “You don’t see that in Ghana. In Ghana, they’re accepting of everybody, and there is no discrimination or bias. Also, you see everybody down there filled with joy, laughter, happiness and bursting with positive energy. You don’t have that same energy here.”
Taylor eventually moved from California back to Michigan, where he has been ever since. Now, Taylor could easily spend his days relaxing and focusing on his personal interests. He has saved and invested wisely over the years, and his financial independence means he no longer needs to clock in for a paycheck. So why does Taylor decide to work at CHS every single day, cleaning halls and tending to the needs of students and staff?
“Now, I work just to have fun and because I love [all the students and staff] here,” Taylor said. “I think what we need more of is love. Love will destroy all the bull crap, and that’s what’s not being promoted. So I hope to spread love through working here every day.”
Taylor has shown that work isn’t always about the financial need: it can be about passion, connection and a desire to make a difference in the world around us. Out of the many experiences Taylor has gone through, working as a custodian has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding.
“Working here is probably one of my best experiences I’ve had, because through dealing with different ages and personalities on different levels, you get to learn so much and you get to see yourself how you were when you were younger too,” Taylor said. “Giving support to the kids, especially to kids who don’t have enough love, is a really big experience.”
From his childhood in Miami to his travels throughout the world, Taylor’s experiences have shaped his worldview and guided his approach to life. Taylor’s outlook on life and his jolly presence should encourage us all to focus on what matters: living authentically, fostering relationships, and contributing to the well-being of others.
