When I was in elementary school I was attending a weekend camp. You know in the winter when you get to go away and stay in a cabin with your friends, camp counselors, and have fun and games and perform skits and singing. The entire thing- camp experience over a weekend! Well in the middle of the night on the first night I got very ill, and sick enough that they determined that I probably needed to go home. So I remember in the middle of the night the director of the camp -Mr. Brookens -offered to take me home. I lived about an hour away and Mr. Brookens could have just put me in his car driven me home and said “have a good night.” But he didn’t: he did so much more. I distinctly remember that on the drive he talked with me and was asking me questions and was generally interested in me. “Ohh I’m so sorry that you have to go home. I hope you get to come again next year .” “I saw you when you were in the race with your team. You were working so hard at that. That was awesome!” And so many other encouraging messages like that. Then when we got to my house and my parents answered the door he shared the same stories with them. “I’m so glad that he came to camp and I’m sorry he has to go but maybe he’ll come back next year.” You should have seen him when he was running this race.” All of these things he said and his words were so encouraging.
That stuck with me so much that more than 40 years later I was at my high school reunion and I had the opportunity to share this story with his daughter. I hadn’t shared this with anyone prior and she was moved to tears. As we talked more and shared memories she asked if I had ever had the opportunity to share that with her dad. After discussing it I learned that Mr. Brookens lived very close to me in the same city that I was currently living. I reached out to him and we had lunch and I got to share how that little moment of a caring adult impacted me.
This is on my heart and mind now because recently Mr. Brookens passed away. I carry this experience along with me and I talk about it when I get the chance. In EFL we go into local schools and talk about being “needed, valued, and loved” and as I talk about feeling valued I share this story and how a simple ride home made me feel that. A caring adult that shares a simple message about how important and how valuable you are can have a lasting impact. Who was a caring adult in your life that had an impact on you? Have you taken the time to let them know that?
-Allen