November 01, 2019
I knew today was coming, it was later, not sooner, this time around. The introvert in me, hates all the small talk and acknowledgements and even worse being placed into the center of attention at our all-staff rallies. Just for some clarification our CEO refers to our staff rally as an all-staff meeting. Most recently this wording is misleading as only full-time exempt staff are invited and in attendance. This leaves me saddened to think the backbone of our association is left behind to mind the house while the others get out of their routines for a part of the day to enjoy some fellowship and recognition. I strongly feel they deserve to be recognized and partake in the meeting and the team building activities which often come with the day’s events. Today’s event was held at TopGolf, sort of like the concept of mini-golf but without the obstacles but you scored by where your ball lands within one of the rings. It looks rather entertaining, but my fear of heights prohibited me to even come close enough to the playing line.
The rally often starts off with a breakfast, a few rounds of welcoming words, recognizing staff for their years of service and then on to news of promotions, new hires, exciting events, innovative programs and the numbers measuring our community impact in different ways. The finale is an activity to bring team building and some corporate bonding amongst the staff. As I walk in the door, I am checked in and then I find some familiar faces to mingle with. When it’s time to take our seats, more often than not, I opt to sit with staff from family centers I do not get to visit often or with newer staff members and hear their stories. However; most usually huddle together within their own family centers or other kindred groupings. As I watched for more seats to fill, I stared out to the seats already occupied. I see many more unknown faces than familiar ones. The empty chairs remind me of the past faces who moved on from our YMCA association and slowly filling in with newly hired, excited nameless faces. Most of these individuals didn’t quite know what they are getting themselves into when accepting the job offer on how staff rallies have become nothing more than listening to an annually repeated story of changing numbers, statistics, names and faces than cultivating loyalty and cohesive staff teams.
As soon as I knew it was that time of the year again, in which we recognize milestone years of service, I felt like crawling under the nearest table. I get this feeling anytime I know I would be thrown into the center of attention. I knew my name would be called and I’d have to go up to receive my award, I realized I reached this pinnacle again way before today’s event. I think those planning the event, knew of my hidden desire to hide under the nearest table because the modesty tablecloth was securely tied around the table with an elastic band. The recognition begins with recognizing staff for their years of service; starting in increments of 5 years. With each passing increment, those being called to be congratulated by the CEO and receive their award noticeably diminishes. Next thing I knew, I am the only one being called up, not necessarily by my years of service but by my name. I barely heard my name being called out since it was nearly drowned out by all the cheering and clapping as I walked up to the podium. I graciously accepted my award, received a double high five and hug from our CEO and then was pointed to watch one of the multiple televisions. The team had put together a video of my colleagues congratulating me, impersonating a day in my world of payroll and all preceded with a Curious George theme.
Those who know me, correction know me better than most, fully comprehend my childish obsession liking to all things Curious George. But I digress, another story, another time. The short video touched me and had me a loss for words. It was then the CEO’s perfect timing to pass me the microphone and ask me to share a few words of my journey. I anticipated this coming but being the situation presented itself in a different dynamic, it truly caught me off guard. My colleagues said my words, were cordial and appreciative without any pretenses and I spoke with my heart. Much better my emotional heart spoke than my analytical brain. I guess I had more red on my face, not because I have ripened, but from the awkwardness of being singled out and the one being celebrated for my years of service.
It’s not the 35 years I’ve been at the Y, nor it’s not the I’ll be turning 50 next month that had me all choked up when I was called up to get my award. It was the fact I am in amazement of where the hell did all the years go and seeing how many in the audience were not quite old enough to be even participate in my preschool programs back then. It was what seemed like yesterday I was finishing up the coursework of post-graduate classes and I was writing grants for our child care and summer camp programs. My years quickly flashed before my eyes, much like fast forwarding a VHS tape while still in play mode, I was able to pick out certain parts of my career quite clearly, but others were nothing but a blur. Long before “Survivor”, the TV show, there was a popular board game called “Survivor.” The ultimate goal was be the one with the last marble on the board and victoriously state “I'm the sole survivor!” Like the commercial, this simple, marble dropping game popular during my childhood was much like my career, each move carefully and intentionally chosen with hopes the right choice was made to survive another turn. As I look around the room one more time, I indeed have become that sole survivor, by willing to be challenged with positions out of my comfort zone, remaining humble and ever grateful. With pride I can easily say my dedication, professionalism and loyalty maybe one of past generations, but I can say without a doubt, I was the longest lasting pillar of the former YMCA of Broward County and now I help build the future for the YMCA of South Florida.
When I got home that evening, I further reminisced over the years, I remembered so many of those who joined me along my journey and left their footprints along my side. Along the way, I met some of my greatest lifelong friends spread near and far - I know they’ll always be there for me as I would for them. Throughout my journey, I found stories of skeletons, dust bunnies and cobwebs as common as the beauty of crepuscular rays of sunshine, rain-showers of tears shed and several turbulent storms of emotions. It has been a journey, despite it all I’ve been through, I would not change it for the world. I’ve had more jobs and experiences than one could imagine. Perhaps, when my next milestone comes up and we have another one of these staff rallies in November 2024, I’ll bring this part of my journey to a close, by announcing my retirement. Then again, maybe I won’t – I have yet to write this chapter as I have not crossed this path. Whenever my time comes to retire, I hope to leave just as quietly as I came, with a shade of red, only seen by others as a sign of my disliking being the center of attention and not that I have ripened, as I will always remain mostly green as I will not have stopped growing.
The rally often starts off with a breakfast, a few rounds of welcoming words, recognizing staff for their years of service and then on to news of promotions, new hires, exciting events, innovative programs and the numbers measuring our community impact in different ways. The finale is an activity to bring team building and some corporate bonding amongst the staff. As I walk in the door, I am checked in and then I find some familiar faces to mingle with. When it’s time to take our seats, more often than not, I opt to sit with staff from family centers I do not get to visit often or with newer staff members and hear their stories. However; most usually huddle together within their own family centers or other kindred groupings. As I watched for more seats to fill, I stared out to the seats already occupied. I see many more unknown faces than familiar ones. The empty chairs remind me of the past faces who moved on from our YMCA association and slowly filling in with newly hired, excited nameless faces. Most of these individuals didn’t quite know what they are getting themselves into when accepting the job offer on how staff rallies have become nothing more than listening to an annually repeated story of changing numbers, statistics, names and faces than cultivating loyalty and cohesive staff teams.
As soon as I knew it was that time of the year again, in which we recognize milestone years of service, I felt like crawling under the nearest table. I get this feeling anytime I know I would be thrown into the center of attention. I knew my name would be called and I’d have to go up to receive my award, I realized I reached this pinnacle again way before today’s event. I think those planning the event, knew of my hidden desire to hide under the nearest table because the modesty tablecloth was securely tied around the table with an elastic band. The recognition begins with recognizing staff for their years of service; starting in increments of 5 years. With each passing increment, those being called to be congratulated by the CEO and receive their award noticeably diminishes. Next thing I knew, I am the only one being called up, not necessarily by my years of service but by my name. I barely heard my name being called out since it was nearly drowned out by all the cheering and clapping as I walked up to the podium. I graciously accepted my award, received a double high five and hug from our CEO and then was pointed to watch one of the multiple televisions. The team had put together a video of my colleagues congratulating me, impersonating a day in my world of payroll and all preceded with a Curious George theme.
Those who know me, correction know me better than most, fully comprehend my childish obsession liking to all things Curious George. But I digress, another story, another time. The short video touched me and had me a loss for words. It was then the CEO’s perfect timing to pass me the microphone and ask me to share a few words of my journey. I anticipated this coming but being the situation presented itself in a different dynamic, it truly caught me off guard. My colleagues said my words, were cordial and appreciative without any pretenses and I spoke with my heart. Much better my emotional heart spoke than my analytical brain. I guess I had more red on my face, not because I have ripened, but from the awkwardness of being singled out and the one being celebrated for my years of service.
It’s not the 35 years I’ve been at the Y, nor it’s not the I’ll be turning 50 next month that had me all choked up when I was called up to get my award. It was the fact I am in amazement of where the hell did all the years go and seeing how many in the audience were not quite old enough to be even participate in my preschool programs back then. It was what seemed like yesterday I was finishing up the coursework of post-graduate classes and I was writing grants for our child care and summer camp programs. My years quickly flashed before my eyes, much like fast forwarding a VHS tape while still in play mode, I was able to pick out certain parts of my career quite clearly, but others were nothing but a blur. Long before “Survivor”, the TV show, there was a popular board game called “Survivor.” The ultimate goal was be the one with the last marble on the board and victoriously state “I'm the sole survivor!” Like the commercial, this simple, marble dropping game popular during my childhood was much like my career, each move carefully and intentionally chosen with hopes the right choice was made to survive another turn. As I look around the room one more time, I indeed have become that sole survivor, by willing to be challenged with positions out of my comfort zone, remaining humble and ever grateful. With pride I can easily say my dedication, professionalism and loyalty maybe one of past generations, but I can say without a doubt, I was the longest lasting pillar of the former YMCA of Broward County and now I help build the future for the YMCA of South Florida.
When I got home that evening, I further reminisced over the years, I remembered so many of those who joined me along my journey and left their footprints along my side. Along the way, I met some of my greatest lifelong friends spread near and far - I know they’ll always be there for me as I would for them. Throughout my journey, I found stories of skeletons, dust bunnies and cobwebs as common as the beauty of crepuscular rays of sunshine, rain-showers of tears shed and several turbulent storms of emotions. It has been a journey, despite it all I’ve been through, I would not change it for the world. I’ve had more jobs and experiences than one could imagine. Perhaps, when my next milestone comes up and we have another one of these staff rallies in November 2024, I’ll bring this part of my journey to a close, by announcing my retirement. Then again, maybe I won’t – I have yet to write this chapter as I have not crossed this path. Whenever my time comes to retire, I hope to leave just as quietly as I came, with a shade of red, only seen by others as a sign of my disliking being the center of attention and not that I have ripened, as I will always remain mostly green as I will not have stopped growing.
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