[From my June 17 article in the Colchester Bulletin]
As the 2010 class of Bacon Academy departs our school system today for the many opportunities that lay ahead, I would echo the sentiment that they will undoubtedly hear from well-wishers many times over the next several weeks: do what you love and everything else will fall into place. Whether the coming months and years hold additional schooling, entering the workforce, traveling the world, or some other exotic alternative, the key is to find something that will be truly fulfilling. Often, this is driven by the feeling that you are making a difference in the world.
Of course, this does not mean that you have to change the entire world. Any impact, regardless of the size, can have significant and far reaching influence. Improving the life of just one person in your community can have a ripple effect that ultimately transforms a nation. It is analogous to the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world can contribute to a weather system that becomes a storm halfway around the planet.
Nor does this necessarily mean that you have to become professionally involved in an organization that seeks to do good work. In fact, independent and/or volunteer efforts quite often can have even more impact, possibly due to their personal or direct nature. This summer my family will once again be taking part in the Fresh Air Fund, where a child from the inner city comes to stay with us for two weeks. We previously had a young boy join our family each summer from the age of 6 to 13; having reconnected with him recently it is clear that our relatively small contribution to his life had a profound and lasting effect.
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Some community efforts can serve as the spark that ignites a much larger movement. Just this past weekend, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation celebrated its tenth anniversary of raising funds to fight pediatric cancer, bringing in over $30 million in that time. Amazingly, this all began with a four-year-old girl named Alexandra “Alex” Scott who was diagnosed with cancer and decided to set up a stand in her front yard to raise money to help doctors find a cure.
Admittedly, this is an extreme example. More importantly, impacts on people can not and should not be compared quantitatively – neither rosters of individuals reached nor sums of money raised can truly measure the difference made by people who genuinely gives of themselves.
In a very real way, this is the ultimate goal of parks and recreation – not only in Colchester, but around the world. We are committed to improving the quality of life for the populations we serve, and doing our part to create communities where people can live, work, play and learn. Each day brings new rewards for the work that we do, from the smiles of children making new friends to seeing adults enjoying the parks and facilities that we maintain. It’s difficult to imagine doing anything else. This is what we wish for you as you graduate today.
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