Time is on your side!

There is a definite advantage to being a people person that builds relationships! Yesterday I was helping one of my teens connect with a new high school to get signed up and figure out how to get back on track. I called the school up and get someone different on the other end, yet, the receptionist quickly says is this Dave? I’m totally shocked and say YES! I then ask if I can talk to the person I assumed would have answered the phone only to discover that she has been promoted!

I was a little nervous with taking this teen and her mom to the school. I never know how someone will do when put on the ‘hot seat’. I have been partnering with this High School for the last 5 years and privileged to have a great relationship with the principal and some of the staff. It was clear that for this teen to get into the school she would need connections because she had missed most of the last year of school. The great news is that because of my relationship with the head admin person and the principal it gives her a foot in the door. Now, the rest is up to her to rock at school and not allow circumstances around her to hold her back.

As I was driving this teen and her mom back home a song from the 60’s started going through my mind, ‘Time is on my side….’. This was a Rolling Stone’s song that focused on a boy friend girl friend situation where the point was that the girl would eventually come back to the guy. It reminded me that when I have good relationships with someone that ultimately that person will come back to me regardless of circumstances in time. I have just finished a summer program where I had a few teens and adults come back after taking a detour in life.

I had a friend helping me do a mailing with putting stamps, address labels on envelopes and then stuffing with flyers. As she was finishing this she asked a rather interesting question, why do you do community work? She had been asked by a friend, what it was that we did. She had a difficult time totally wrapping herself around an explanation that would make sense. I gave one of my ‘pat answers but ultimately said we are about life transformation or helping someone get it by our getting it. I went on to explain the background of doing non-profit work in under resourced communities and what it meant to build partnerships that influenced everyone to use their talents and learn about leadership.

My learning lesson for myself was back to the Stone’s song that time can help when relating back to a neighborhood and your friends. Yes, being old can have its advantages. I don’t like having grey hair but I do appreciate long-term relationships that do help immensely when I’m helping someone.