Remember Field Day? What I learned while volunteering.

Today was field day for my daughter’s school. She asked that I be there to help with one of the stations. I can never resist the look in her eye when she asks. So I agreed not knowing what I might get myself into. The alarm goes off this morning at 5am and I am excited for what the day has in store. My daughter is woken up by her little brother so her excitement was definitely subdued. In fact she was super grumpy this morning. When the fog wore off and she caught fire she said to me Daddy, ” Are you ready to go?”

We jammed out to the car and we headed to the gas station to fill up on the way to school. My daughter being the worrier that she is says again, “Daddy can we talk about the rules for a minute?” “Sure,” I said ” What might the rules be?”

1. Don’t embarrass me?
2. Don’t embarrass yourself
3. Have Fun
4. Be silly but not to silly
5. Know who you are and who you represent

After I was firmly told what the rules would be and how I was to follow them I said to her that they sounded simple enough. I would do my best to follow them and if she notices anything I asked that she kindly let me know but not in front of everyone. We signed the pact just as we were arriving to the school.

The stage at the school was set. The parents had their coffee and the kids had a bag full of excitement.

Time to Check In: I was instructed to go to the cafeteria and check in to find out my assignment. The gossip and the chatter was amazing. All of the parents that I normally see volunteering and more. Many of them carried the look of worry all over their face, stress, excitement, inconvenience, contentment, sleep deprived, and all the other emotions we see on adults each day. As I stepped up to the table I said, “I am Matt Freeman where am I to be placed today?” Quickly I was told that I would be manning the bean bag toss. I was pointed to my materials and shown the map on where to go. I walked over and grabbed my materials and walked with confidence over to my site.

First Lesson of the Day: When we are provided direction and commands for something as simple as my job and my station we follow without hesitation. I walked with confidence. I then asked myself why it was so easy to follow the commands of a volunteer at the school and so difficult to follow the commands I have chosen to live by. Do I complicate things by getting in the way? Our own intellect is many times my own worst nightmare. I try to control the outcome and I am not in charge. The command was “follow me.”

Once I got to the site I set up the station. Clear direction: Divide the kids into two groups of ten and have them toss the bags into the holes. They can keep score by teams or they can keep their individual score. I was paired with two mothers from other children at the school. They were pleasure to be around and overall seemed to be happy to be there. The whistle blows and time for the first group.

My daughter was in the first group so I made sure to follow the rules that I was bound by. I might have embarrased her a little because I was acting silly but I know that later when her friends said that I was cool she had a smil;e in her eyes. The first group stepped up and nailed the tosses. Attempt after attempt. Many times they missed but that did not stop them from trying again. Each time that we stepped up the challenge they were game. They never backed away from the challenge and they approached each with a smile on their face.

Second Lesson of the Day: There are going to be many challenges in life that we are presented. Each one may be harder then the next. We cannot tire and we cannot be afraid to accept a perceived challenge. When we do not accomplish it on the first attempt we are to try again. They were Joyful about what field day had brought them. Opportunity to grow with each failure and to be humble in our success. There were many that never made a shot but they kept throwing. There were some that made every shot and they never were boastful. They high fived each other as brothers and sisters and supported each other until the end. At times their critiquing may have seemed harsh but it was honest and necessary.

Summary: I am so happy that I followed my heart and volunteered. Had I not went I would have been to busy buried in my work to notice the things that I have to learn and be reminded of. So next time that you are invited to go to a field day or similar event turn the phone off, roll up the sleeves and enjoy yourself. Just remember Rule #5 “Know who you are and who you represent.”