Ever considered what about the holiday season makes us all seem more charitable or a stronger desire to give or support others? Is that just me? If it is, please let me live in the joy believing that others feel the same as I do!
Full disclosure, I am guilty. Guilty of probably being more “intentional” about paying back all the good fortune I have had in the previous year. I try to live a life all year long focused more on others, more mission-driven, more purpose-filled. Full disclosure, some years are better than others. I start each year with the best of intentions, while I am not a new year’s resolution kind of person, I attempt to simply be better. Be a better spouse, be a better dad, a better friend, a better son, a better leader, a better co-worker, etc. I try to live my life in a way that focuses more on the “mirror” of self-reflection, what can I do to simply be better to be present regardless of the situation I find myself in. Again, some years are just better than others.
In reflecting on 2020, if a do-over card would ever need to be played, I think we can all agree this year would be it! Does anyone remember back in March, like 6-8 months ago that feels like 5 years ago now? It scared me then and scares me now. With kids in college and my wife and many others I know as educators, I worry daily about its impact and their safety. I wonder and worry about those kids who do not have the supports at home many of us were surrounded by growing up and the same ones we have created for own families! I wonder and worry about co-workers and other family that are walking troubled roads with steep health concerns right during this pandemic! Amid all the trouble in the world and those that I am surrounded by, my family is blessed to be healthy, employed and safe! I wonder, from our safe zone, did we do enough in support of others?
Being in a role like mine, in service to public education, giving them tools to insure that they maximize resources for the classroom and for all students – it seems that this pandemic has sidelined my active approach to that mission. It seems that this pandemic has forced me to sit idle and attempt to respect their navigation of the unknown and their attempts to pave the road as they walk it. We strategically made that choice to provide our members the highest level of service and engagement when they needed it, but to hold on any proactive activities that would not be paramount to the primary mission of student and staff safety. I find myself looking back on this year, and wondering: If my whole purpose is the “Be Better” and to “Be Present” each year, did our strategic decision to give our members space they needed to navigate 2020 for their students and staff turn out to be the right one? It flew directly into the face of what is my primary mission every year – I trust that decision was the right one! We were BETTER by not being PRESENT!!
Random acts of kindness were all over in 2020. Visual ones like wearing a mask, for you and for others. How fast did we make statements not only wearing our mask, but wearing ones in support of causes or teams we care about? Random acts of kindness, I get a front-row seat to being married to a teacher. She has shed more tears this year than ever before, she works hard daily at connecting to all kids, in the smallest of ways, she is the definition of an old mission statement and rings loudest in 2020 – “no child left behind.” Random acts of kindness for her as she explained to her 3rd grade class they were going to transition to full remote – a student took a huge gasp and said – “that sucks!” My wife’s response with tears in her eyes – “you’re right guys it does suck, but it is the right thing right now for you!” This student is not so much fearful of missing Mrs. Spangler, my assumption is, she is fearful of missing what is normal and safe in her life.
A random act of kindness for her and the countless other students that lack the supports we view as normal – it is a public school teacher that engages with their kids in unique ways daily, that visits their driveway to drop off reminders of love and education; it is a public school meal program that continues even when classrooms and hallways are dark!
Ultimately, in my view, it is not about spending, nor does it take overwhelming effort! To be better and be present the greatest random act of kindness – GRACE! Give it openly and frequently this holiday season and do not stop when 2020 ends – the parents attempting to navigate in-home learning and normalcy, the educators trying to connect to kids in the smallest of ways, the educational leaders and BOE members who make countless decisions each day that never seem right, the front line workers in hospitals all deserve what we can all afford to share – Grace!
Written By: Rod Spangler, Assistant Executive Director For Risk Management and Member Engagement
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