On November 11, Veteran's Day, we closed the WCY and brought in the full staff, full and part time, for an in-service day. During that time, we went over emergency procedures, talked about communication, heard a professional trainer talk about harassment in the workplace and how to avoid it, and gave dimension to our core values: Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility.
I was lucky enough to be in the group that shared stories about Caring at the WCY. I shared a story about how dedicated our staff is to the children in our care. How after a family tragedy, the staff took special care of our preschooler and his family. They stayed late with him the day it happened. We worked with the family to ensure he could maintain some consistency in his life and stay in our program. I felt it exemplified how caring our staff and our Y is. (I could have used my own experience being picked up by this community when Sarah had cancer and after she died, but didn't want to cry any more than necessary.)
The next person in my group said, "Wow. I don't have anything that dramatic," and went on to tell how she felt lifted up when she came to the WCY. She had been out of the workforce for a while and wasn't sure how she would get back in. Being part of our team reminded her how good she is at what she does!
Then our Aquatics Director said, "I see caring happening in so many little ways. Some people who use our pool use a walker. It is a lot to come in from the locker room, cross the room to pick up 'weights' or a noodle, and go back to the therapy pool entrance. Other swimmers see them and offer to get or put away their pool tools."
I reflected on how much I focus on the big gesture. I think it's a residual from my time as an actor in Hollywood when I felt my life could change at any moment. Drama! And I have to relearn, regularly, that small, consistent moments make just as much of a difference as the big ones. A smile at the front desk. A clean locker room. A greeting from the lifeguard or instructor. And they are, perhaps, more important in binding a community together.
As I go into December, I am looking for ways to make a difference both big and small. I wish you the best of the season.
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