We all need a little escape this year! Just in time for the holiday, we take you back to a time in which I was a young Park Ranger. The story you are about to hear is true. It happened, and I will never forget it. Enjoy! Special thanks to Michael Hennessey and Chris Weaver for a highly entertaining production.
Happy Earth Day! Given where we are at this time, staying socially distant, staying at home and doing our best to slow the spread of COVID-19, that has sadly claimed many lives, this Earth Day will be different. Not necessarily different in all bad ways though. There are many negative consequences of this pandemic, but nature may have seen one of the few positive results. This pause in our daily activities has seen wildlife repopulating, water sources less polluted and less proverbial mud holes stomped into our carbon footprint. I hope you will join me this Earth Day in reflecting on what that means and how we can learn from it moving forward. The science is available if you choose to avail yourself to it. We can control the sustainability of our planet.
Here is a fun way to celebrate our renewed wisdom:
Greensboro Science Center
Celebrate Earth Day by discovering wild plants and animals found in the backyards and parks of Guilford County, NC! Please note: If exploring a public park, for your own safety and that of others, please follow CDC guidelines for social distancing.
Here’s how it works:
1. Download the iNaturalist app on your mobile device and create an account.
2. From the “More” tab, click on Projects and join Greensboro Science Center Earth Day BioBlitz 2020.
3. On the designated date and time (April 22 between 8am and 8pm), get out and observe! Snap photos, identify the organism as well as when and where you spotted it and save your observation.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/greensboro-science-center-earth-day-bioblitz-2020
Thanks to the Greensboro Public Library for this awesome listing!!!
Children’s Activities
Greensboro Public Library at Home Fun activities for children and adults.
Greensboro Parks and Recreation is going live on Facebook Monday-Friday at 1 pm. We have a variety of programs from animal Mondays to fitness Fridays and everything in between!
Greensboro Children’s Museum has a comprehensive list of at-home activities and projects for the family.
Greensboro Downtown Parks have gone digital with art, wellness, and so much more.
GreenHill Center for NC Art is holding virtual art lessons! Visit their Facebook page for links.
North Carolina Zoo lists a variety of virtual programming that allows viewing and learning about their animals online. This listing provides specific details of what the programs are, when they are offered, and on what platform they can be accessed.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum State Historic Site encourages children to participate in their “Flat Charlotte” adventures.
Greensboro Ballet is holding daily classes on YouTube.
Free Music Lessons – A Greensboro couple is providing virtual music lessons to children:
Adult Activities
Fun Online Opportunities from The Greensboro Green Foundation:
Watch our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for activities and other interesting information.
Rainbow Yoga for EveryBODY will be held on Instagram. See Lana’s instagram page here.
Check out Campaign for Southern Equality’s Front Porch series of virtual gatherings.
Downtown Greensboro, Inc. List of Virtual Arts & Entertainment Resources
Triad Stage has published a full line-up of virtual performances
Carolina Theatre is hosting virtual Open Mic Nights throughout the month of April.
Vintage to Vogue Boutique is livestreaming twice each week on Facebook. Visit this feed for details.
Greensboro Downtown Yoga has online yoga classes via their YouTube Channel.
Chez Genèse is holding virtual cooking classes during the week. They post the schedule on their Instagram feed and the recipes on their blog.
Triad Stage is holding Facebook Live events this week:
Greensboro Parks & Recreation is offering online recreational activities each week day at 1pm via their Facebook page.
Virtual tours of NC Parks: https://www.ncparks.gov/photos-and-videos
Vitual Tour of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences: https://naturalsciences.org/exhibits/virtual-tours
Online Exhibits, NC Museum of History: https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/exhibits/online
Virtual Field Trips, NC Museum of Art: https://learn.ncartmuseum.org/vft/
An Appalachian Summer Festival Replaces LIve Events with alternative online programming:
Carolina Theatre’s Future Fund Virtual Event:
https://carolinatheatre.com/event/future-fund-10-live/?occurrence_id=5701
Fox 8’s Virtual Event Calendar: https://myfox8.com/community-calendar/#!/
Virtual exercise via the YMCA of Greensboro: https://www.ymcagreensboro.org/virtual
Heart and Stroke Walk: https://www2.heart.org/site/TR/HeartWalk/MAA-MidAtlanticAffiliate?pg=entry&fr_id=4938
Virtual Theatre for Greensboro Teens: https://www.wxii12.com/article/creative-greensboro-virtual-theatre-experience-teens/32155012
Non-local offerings
Each day at 3 pm, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will bring the zoo to you on Facebook Live with animal visits, information and activities to do at home. http://cincinnatizoo.org/home-safari-resources/?fbclid=IwAR0VzTaBOeLdK43nDqYNsO7c9IZhkkxUUEecyJ7kIB5zaYJPnojIGi8JodQ
“Mondays With Michelle Obama” is in collaboration with Penguin Random House’s “Read Together, Be Together” initiative and PBS Kids’ “Read-Along” efforts. The series will be livestreamed on PBS Kids’ Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as Penguin Random House’s Facebook page each week at 9 a.m. Pacific and be available to view anytime after.https://redtri.com/mondays-michelle-obama-random-house-storytime/
https://www.readtogetherbetogether.com/
Boston Children’s Museum virtual tour:www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/museum-virtual-tour
Mo Willems archived Lunch Doodles through the Kennedy Art Center. Download a three week, 15 episode doodling fun time with the author/illustrator of the Pigeon books! This article also includes a link to other author/illustrators that are sharing stories and leading activities
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/
The World of Eric Carle shares an animated performance of 10 Little Rubber Ducks narrated by Bernadette Peters – an engaging story of a box of rubber ducks that go overboard during a storm at sea. Spoiler alert: the ending will quack you up!
https://www.facebook.com/theworldofEricCarle/videos/267488427984718/?vh=e&d=n
Choose from a variety of live cams to see animals and natural spaces in real time from around the world : https://explore.org/livecams
Stream an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical every weekend. Look for his “The Shows Must Go On” link on his website: https://www.andrewlloydwebber.co
Get inspired by family art-making ideas from New York City’s Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/magazinrticles/254
www.artliveson.com/streaming-now a calendar of online music events
Melissa Etheridge performs live on Facebook each day at 3pm.
Ellen is calling her celebrity friends live on Facebook.
Q Chat Space – a community for LGBTQ youth.
Work out at home with the Y! Strength and endurance, balance, controlled and focused movements, beginners, cardio, yoga, active older adults, and more! Classes here and here.
Some Upcoming Live Streamed Music Events from Billboard:
May 8: Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and Talinda Bennington announced 320 Festival, a one-of-a-kind festival aimed at changing the way we talk about mental health. The festival that was set to take place across the entire L.A. LIVE complex in May has been canceled in its current form. Instead, the festival will be going online. On May 8- 10, fans can tune in for free on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and the KNEKT.TV Network on Roku and Apple TV to join the conversation through educational sessions, musical performances, workshops and more.
May 2: Latin music stars Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Luis Fonsi, J Balvin, Diane Guerrero and Ana Brenda Contreras have teamed for Eva Longoria’s virtual Cinco de Mayo celebration. The virtual concert will stream live on Facebook Live, Youtube, Twitch, Twitter, iHeartLatino’s radio stations and websites, among other social media platforms, on May 5 at 2 p.m. PT. The event is free to watch but viewers will be encouraged to make donations.
May 1: iHeartMedia Los Angeles’ 102.7 KIIS FM will be hosting a Virtual Prom for Southern California students live at 6:30 p.m. PST on KIIS FM’s YouTube channel. The event will feature DJ sets from Joe Jonas, Dillon Francis and Loud Luxury, a special guest appearance from Lauv and more.
April 29: The Grammy Museum is releasing its digital public program with Brett Young here.
April 27: The Grammy Museum is releasing its digital public program with Sabrina Carpenter here.
SPACE will livestream Blue Monday, presented by Magellan Corporation, with Dave Specter (playing at 8 p.m. ET) and John Kattke (performing at 8:30 p.m. ET) via their Facebook page.
April 26: Lindsay Ell will be hosting a virtual Facebook Live concert at 7 p.m. MT to benefit Colorado’s Tennyson Center for Children (Tennyson Center) as Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to a close.
April 25: NETTA, Flora Cash, Hanson, MILCK and more are set to perform during Twitch’s free virtual music festival on April 25. Donations will benefit MusiCares. More details are available at Loop.tv.
Digital music festival Room Service kicks off April 24-26, with performances by Yungblud, Channel Tres, Pink Sweat$, Chromeo, Zeds Dead, Borgore, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Gallant, Griz, Mt. Joy, Trevor Daniel, RAC, Jeremy Zucker, Shallou & more (full lineup here). Proceeds from the event will go directly to COVID-19 relief efforts, including Sweet Relief and Feeding America.
North Carolina and CLTure are hosting “Under One Roof,” a livestream benefit concert for North Carolina artists, to be presented in one-hour segments on the evenings of Friday April 24 through Sunday, April 26. Anthony Hamilton, 9th Wonder, Ben Folds, The Hamiltones, Petey Pablo, Tift Merritt, Jim Lauderdale, Steep Canyon Rangers, Chatham County Line, Joe Troop of Che Apalache and The Harvey Cummings Project are all scheduled to perform. See here for more information.
The Grammy Museum is releasing its digital public program with Ben Platt here.
100 gecs is hosting a virtual festival experience: Square Garden. The festival will take place in a unique Minecraft world and feature artists like Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, Kero Kero Bonito, Cashmere Cat, Benny Blanco, Tommy Cash and more. The festivities will take place on 100gecs.com at 6 p.m. with all donations set to benefit Feeding America.
April 23: SPACE will be livestreaming a performance from Tony Lucca at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a set from Jay Nash at 9 p.m. ET via their Facebook page.
Dolly Parton will be reading for her “Goodnight With Dolly” series every Thursday at 7 p.m. EST on Facebook.
April 22: The Grammy Museum is releasing its digital public program with Courtney Barnett here.
SPACE will be livestreaming a set from the Mynabirds’ Laura Burhenn via their Facebook page at 8 p.m. ET.
The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund will be hosting JERSEY 4 JERSEY 7 p.m. ET on Apple Music and AppleTV apps worldwide, on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio (currently free on the SiriusXM app) and carried on WABC Channel 7, WPVI 6ABC, WPIX, News12, NJTV and local radio outlets including 1010 WINS, WCBS 880, CBS-FM, WFAN, New York’s Country 94.7, Alt 92.3, Q104.3 and others. Halsey, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, SZA, Charlie Puth, Saquon Barkley, Tony Bennett, Danny DeVito, Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Handler, Kelly Ripa, Jon Stewart and more will make appearances.
April 21: Third Eye Blind are performing live during their “Quarantine Kitchen Sessions” every Tuesday at varying times on the band’s Instagram account to promote social distancing. Said Stephan Jenkins: “We all need to be part of the solution and not the spread.”
April 20: The Grammy Museum is releasing its digital public program with Richard Marx here.
SPACE will be livestreaming a set from Miles Nielsen via their Facebook page at 8 p.m. ET.
Virtual Tours of Historic Sites, Museums, Zoos, etc.
Blarney Castle https://www.virtualvisittours.com/blarney-castle/
Stages / Theatres Around the World https://artsandculture.google.com/story/1gJiszMqltReJA
Disney previously launched Google Street View imagery of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Fans dreaming of a day spent in the lovable theme parks can virtually enjoy Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and even Disney World’s global Epcot “countries.”
Monteray Bay Aquarium California, is giving visitors a virtual look at its colorful sea creatures via free live camera streaming. Animal lovers can zen out to jellyfish or watch penguins waddling in their habitat.
Guggenheim Museum. Google Arts & Culture is offering a free digital tour of the Guggenheim Museum through its Street View feature.
Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House. Google’s Arts & Culture section has crystal-clear views of the Taj Mahal in New Dehli, India, as well as several other renowned spots around the world. For example, you can look down from the top of the Eiffel Tower or relax with a view of the Sydney Opera House, all while not actually traveling.
Natural History at the Smithsonian. From dinosaurs to ocean creatures, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History offers in-depth 360-degree views of its exhibits.
San Diego Zoo. The California zoo has pre-recorded and live video streams showing koalas, apes, pandas, penguins, and other creatures that offer endless hours of entertainment and fascination.
British Museum. The museum has a free interactive timeline that lets users explore artifacts from ancient civilizations around the world. The virtual exhibit lets people focus on different topics and themes, like “living and dying,” “power and identity,” and “trade and conflict,” all from different continents and eras.
Museum of Modern Art. Also in partnership with Google Arts & Culture, the MoMA offers one free virtual “walk-through” exhibit, plus select photos of its permanent artwork collections.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Anyone who appreciates architecture will likely enjoy The Met’s series of YouTube videos that show its most famous buildings and exhibit spaces in a 360-degree format. As a bonus, the videos also feature relaxing instrumental music soundtracks.
Royal Botanic Gardens. Some very kind visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens captured panoramic shots of the stunning landscape, and they’re available to view on Google’s Street View feature.
NASA Space Center. NASA’s free Space Center Houston app lets people explore virtual reality experiences, take astronaut selfies, and follow along through an audio tour of its educational space center.
The Louvre. The Louvre’s official website offers a few virtual exhibits of its own, and a separate site, YouVisit, has a realistic 360-degree tour of several parts of the Paris museum.
The Acropolis. In partnership with Google Arts & Culture, the Acropolis Museum has digitized many of its ancient artifacts, from statues to marble murals. Virtual visitors can also take in panoramic views of Athens via the Street View feature.
National Portrait Gallery. Online guests can explore several exhibits from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, from “First Ladies” to “Eye to I: Self-portraits from 1900 to today.”
National Parks You Can Visit Virtually:
Click here to virtually visit Acadia National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Arches National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Badlands National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Big Bend National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Bryce Canyon National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Canyonlands National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Channel Islands National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Death Valley National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Denali National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Dry Tortugas National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Everglades National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Glacier National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Grand Canyon National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Grand Teton National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Joshua Tree National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Mesa Verde National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Mount Rainier National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Olympic National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Redwood National and State Park.
Click here to virtually visit Rocky Mountain National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Sequoia National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Shenandoah National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Virgin Islands National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Wind Cave National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Yellowstone National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Yosemite National Park.
Click here to virtually visit Zion National Park.
Free online classes offered by Universities around the country https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/
Various Sports Online You Can Get for Free During the Epidemic Listed by Cleveland.com Sports-related services
While all the major sports leagues have currently shut down, that doesn’t mean you can’t relive some of the highlights from prior seasons.
BASEBALL: In addition to being able to watch all of last season’s games on MLB.tv, you can also watch plenty of great classic games on MLB’s YouTube channel. Additionally, PBS has added Ken Burn’s “Baseball” to their list of online viewing options.
FOOTBALL: NFL Game Pass is offering free access until the end of May. Watch original programing and games from 2009 – 2019.
BASKETBALL: NBA League Pass is offering a free preview until April 22nd. Watch full and condensed games and additional programing.
HOCKEY: The NHL is providing access to games played this season before the shutdown as well as additional classic games and content from prior seasons.
SOCCER: Enjoy World Cup action from FIFA TV on YouTube featuring full games and original content.
Don’t forget you can also watch More Sports & Les Levine weekdays at 6 for all the latest Cleveland Sports Talk.
Entertainment-related services
COOKING: Both Milk Street and America’s Test Kitchen have made a variety of recipes and cooking lessons free on their websites.
KIDS: Audible has released a number of kids audiobooks for free. Additionally, Penguin Random House is providing free daily book readings as well as sing-a-longs for kids.
CONCERTS: The New York Metropolitan Opera is offering free daily encore performances. The Seattle Symphony is also providing free live shows. The Cleveland Orchestra also has educational videos, concert rehearsals and more on their YouTube channel.
THEATER: Broadway HD currently has a free 7-day preview featuring some of the biggest shows on Broadway. The Globe Theatre is also offering free videos featuring adaptations of scenes from various Shakespeare plays as well as additional content. Watch some of the most loved musicals of all time premiering every Friday on a new YouTube channel. Shows will only be available for 48 hours each though. PBS is also streaming Great Performances.
E-BOOKS: Featuring works in dozens of languages and including a number of classics from Dickens to Plato, you can download works for free from Project Gutenberg. If you are a fan of classic choose-your-own adventure books, head over to Project Aon. For fans of Comics, Comixology has extended their free preview to 60 days.
PUZZLES: Having trouble finding jigsaw puzzles for sale and in stock? Jigidi.com offers free online puzzles that you can save and come back to.
VIDEO GAMES: The Internet Archive is a great location for lots of content. In particular, they offer access to hundreds of classic PC and DOS video games that you’ve probably been unable to play since you updated to Windows XP. Parental warning, a handful of games do have adult themes.
STREAMING SERVICES: A number of free services exist. However, a number of paid services have also extended free options or extended their free trial periods.
SiriusXM has extended free streaming through May 15th.
The WWE has unlocked a large amount of content online including all prior Wrestlemanias, past live shows and loads of original content.
HBO is making streams of its most popular series available at HBO Now for free, including ‘Veep’ and ‘The Sopranos’
Apple TV+ has made some of its original programming free.
CBS is making ‘Star Trek: Picard’ available to those with a free trial by using the code GIFT.
Amazon Prime has unlocked a number of TV shows and movies geared towards young children and families. Amazon membership not required.
Kanopy: This free service is available for access. All you need is your library card.
SLING is currently offering a free experience providing access to some family-friendly movies and shows as well as live news from ABC News.
Showtime is currently offering a free 30 day trial to new subscribers.
Acorn TV is offering 30 days free for access to many popular British shows. Use pass code FREE30.
For fans of the horror genre, Shudder is offering 30 days free with the code SHUTIN.
You can also get 30 days of Sundance Now by using the code SUNDANCENOW30.
STARS ONLINE: A number of celebrities have begun to reach out to fans on their social media platforms as well. You can watch Patrick Stewart recite Shakespeare on his Facebook page while Andrew Lloyd Weber is taking requests from fans on songs from his musicals.
Health & Wellness services
Let’s face it, being stuck at home is stressful. Worrying about getting sick is stressful. Here’s several services that are extending free stress-management services as well as at-home workouts.
Sanvello is currently offering free premium access to their app. Practice meditation and learn other clinical techniques for dealing with stress, anxiety or depression.
Simple Habit is offering free premium access to their meditation and mindfulness app for those impacted by the current economic downturn.
Peloton: You don’t have to buy one of their bikes to get 90 days free access to their app.
Planet Fitness: The gym might be closed, but the company is offering free online workouts on their Facebook page.
Yogini Jeannie is offering free classes to those in the Northeast Ohio service industry who have been impacted by recent closures.
Jazzercise on Demand is currently offering 60 days free when you sign up and use the code 60DAYSFREE.
YogiApproved is currently offering their online classes for free for 30 days when you use the code STAYHOME.
Kick 55 Fitness is offering free video classes through their Instagram page until the end of March. Prior, archived videos of those classes are also up and will remain so after the end of the month.
Business and Job Search services
Novoresume is offering one month of free premium service, including access to cover letter and resume templates. The offers is good until April 10th.
Enhancv is currently offering free resume building tools online.
Educational services
Fender: Learn to play the guitar online as the company is currently offering free online guitar courses.
Adobe: The company is making home access to Photoshop and some of its other platforms free for students and educators. Note: Request must come from school’s IT personnel.
Professional development: New to the work-from-home scene? LinkedIn is providing a number of educational videos to help employees and managers optimize their time working remotely.
Khan Academy is offering free online resources for parents, teachers and students.
Scholastic Learn at Home has opened a free digital learning hub for at-home students.
Explain Everything is providing access to their Whiteboard tool for those teaching from home.
Unity 3D: Company is provide access to hundreds of hours of tutorials on computer graphics design, 3D modeling, coding and more.
Pear Deck: Offering free access to their premium online suite for teachers and students integrating Google tools.
Kahoot: Providing free access to their online distance-learning tools.
No Red Ink: Distance-learning tools for writing, grammar and more.
KnowledgeHook: Access to free premium tools for remote math education through the end of June.
The Akron Children’s Museum is offering free online programs Mondays and Tuesdays on their website and on their Facebook channel the rest of the week.
Free educational videos: While you can’t take your kids out to the museum or zoo, you can bring those experiences home. The Great Lakes Science Center’s Curiosity Corner currently provides a number of videos with experiment suggestions as well as brief talks and demonstrations on a number of topics. The Cincinnati Zoo is offering Home Safaris, bringing you up close with Fiona and many of the other animals at the zoo. Closer to home, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has expanded their online offerings via their Virtual Classroom.
Ever travel at an accelerated rate of speed? Of course you have. You’re in a hurry. You’ve got places to be. Deadlines to meet or things to get done. Only so many hours in a day right? Ever drive past something that you wanted to see, but went by it so fast, you only catch a blur or fraction of the view? Imagine seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, but going so fast that you barely saw the base of the structure. Disappointing at best I would imagine.
Moving fast isn’t limited to travel though. We rush through work, activities, experiences, and ultimately life. Everyone is guilty of it on occasion, myself included. Many of us understand the benefits of what we gain when we go fast. Perhaps we complete multiple tasks. We get an intended result faster or we just get a much deserved sense of accomplishment. Moving fast isn’t a bad thing necessarily. There is, as always, a time and place for everything though.
Hopefully we can make informed decisions when we evaluate going fast. Understanding the value we lose when we go fast should be just as commonplace. Culturally, we have lost some of this understanding in large part, due to quick access to almost all services and functions. Order a package and get it tomorrow. Look at the news in a matter of seconds. Download your music or games by the time you finish folding your laundry. FaceTime your friends face to face and visit without ever having to get on a plane or hop in the car. Those are all wonderful advantages that allow us to overcome multiple barriers. Not a bad thing at all. I have dedicated my whole life to figuring out how to overcome barriers, so I am ecstatic about what speeds up or creates better access.
In contrast, I have also come to appreciate the unintended consequences of going fast as well. What are we missing? What are we not seeing or experiencing? Often something more meaningful in my opinion. If you are like me, you have been busy for years trying to cram accomplishments into a condensed period of time. Driven by a desire to do the most good and produce the most outcomes, many of us will drive fast through life with a fear of no promises for tomorrow.
If two people are walking a trail, one intends to get to the end as quickly as possible so that they can finish and the other takes time to stop along the way but takes much longer to finish, who gets the most benefit? Who saw the hawk in the tree? Who saw the crocuses blooming? Who sees a quartz formation? Granted, the slower person didn’t finish first and can’t say they lay claim to fastest walk on a trail. For some, that may be equally as valuable.
The value proposition is very different though. A claim to finishing faster will likely be one of many simple accomplishments that in quantity may hold some meaning, but will fade fast as a memory. In contrast, a story about the hawk, flowers and quartz formation could mean something that lasts much longer. Beyond a visual impression, you’ve experienced the earth’s offerings, peaked a curiosity or knowledge and discovered special moments that come far too seldom.
Both experiences can fulfill. I simply propose that going fast doesn’t allow for an experience, which for some, could be a very meaningful memory or produces additional benefits. By knowing that, you can decide what has more value for you, but just remember, you can’t see as much, when you go 100 mph.
This isn’t as simple as a trail walk though. On a grander scale, maybe in life, we take a little longer for vacation so we can see more. Maybe we stay an extra hour during a social visit to have a more meaningful conversation. Maybe we spend an extra day planning for a project so that we give due consideration.
As I watch our society enjoy the offering of quicker benefits, I fear a forgotten understanding of value in experience. Particularly as the generations that follow become more reliant. It is for this reason that I have chosen to take some time on occasion to experience life at a different pace, that allows sight of what is around me. Maybe it is time for some of us to set an example for those who have seen us live at a quicker pace, always pursuing quantity as opposed to quality.
Society has little tolerance for taking more time. Our culture doesn’t always accommodate our desire for pace. We are part of society though and we help craft culture. Taking the opportunity to lessen the pace and enjoying more of the experience doesn’t have to be every time or with every facet of life, but where we can, it is worth trying. Going 100 mph can often end in a crash without reaching your destination. Going slower, with more awareness can result in reaching the destination safely and with the benefit of remembering the journey.
It started when I was five years old. By “it” I mean my determination for equity in quality of life and more specifically in community service. My mom was constantly searching for free things my brother and I could do. She remembered that, prior to my father’s departure, his employment allowed us to go to a country club in Greensboro. The facility had tons of recreational options that would allow us to play on our own terms. At the time we had no real income outside of good will and government subsidy, so my mother thought this would be a pleasant surprise. My brother’s mobility was limited as he had just been upgraded from a wheelchair to leg braces that he would have to learn how to use for some years to come. We loaded up into the beige station wagon with the cool lay-down seat in the back end. Then, we headed into the city, watching the road in reverse as if we were leaving all our troubles behind.
When we got to the entrance of the facility, we were filled with excitement. I loved seeing the joy on my brother’s face upon our arrival. He had often endured the ignorance of small minded people who had less aptitude for seeing the beauty within others who may seem or look different than themselves. Even my mother’s face filled with delight knowing she would succeed in taking us away from all the small town gossip and rumors that surrounded my family, even if for just a day. We didn’t mirror the expectation of normalcy in our community. We were so different that I often thought everyone else was strange instead. Seeing the happiness on her face made me feel like she had forgotten the daily challenge of how to provide food or shield us from the awful truths that surrounded us. She had dealt with an abusive, alcoholic, former spouse and my other siblings who had fallen prey to the temptations of the world for so long. It was nothing short of a miracle that she still wanted to get up in the morning, much less make sure we had some type of fun.
I loved playing of any kind. My father had been a local, star athlete and I often thought if I could match his success I would get the attention I wanted from him. Being outdoors was my sanity. I ran away to the woods almost every day. The wildlife I encountered were my best friends and they never betrayed me. Our destination that day would offer all of this and so much more. This place was a childhood Shangri-La if ever there was one. It was to be our day! Nothing could interfere with the happiness that would find its way to the fraction of what was left of our family.
Pulling into a parking space with this much anticipation always felt like a bad slow-motion sequence from a movie. As I peeked out the window I could see the top of the clubhouse. I admired it as if it was the entrance to see the Wizard of Oz. Once we got inside, the Wizard would take all our troubles away and all our future paths would be yellow brick roads. I saw the faces of people coming in and out, and everyone was happy. For a brief moment my anxiety rose, fearing they would detect or smell our lack of culture, financial stability or normalcy that was needed to blend in. Then I remembered that nothing bad ever happens in this happy place. My mother opened the back door. Freedom!!! No matter what pace my brother moved at, I always chose to move at the same. I was so proud to be his brother that I never wanted anyone to mistake that we weren’t related. We walked in sync following our mother to the front door of the clubhouse.
Mom ran up ahead of us to be greeted by someone staffing the entrance. Oddly the exchange looked less than happy. No happy faces, just a look of disgust and then a look of shame on my mother’s face. She walked back over to both of us tearfully and broke the bad news. “We aren’t members here anymore,” she said with a whisper. I didn’t understand. What in the world was a member, and why did I need to be one to play? Why did my brother need a membership? Had he not paid his dues in so many other ways? “A membership is what we have to have to play here,” my mother said. “When your father left, he revoked our privileges, along with any hopes of income,” she murmured. We stood there in astonishment. Suddenly she gathered herself and with an award winning performance, pepped up and said with as much energy as she could muster, “but I negotiated the opportunity to for you all to play in the front yard. I brought a ball with us and you all can throw it back and forth.” We did just that.
That day would be defining one for all of us. My mother became very assertive and creative, hoping to avoid what would end up being many more like situations for us over the years come. My brother developed a wicked sense of humor with a strong desire to be financially successful. As for me, well that took awhile to work itself out. At the very least I recognized that we could always make the best of every situation. The way I felt that day and many other days to come, really didn’t bother me half as much as the way I felt when I saw their faces, or how I felt when I thought how much it must have hurt them to not even have the simple right to play on the terms that we wanted. Through the eyes of a child we often have an innate sense of right and wrong, and in this case it just felt wrong. In my later youth, my behavior declined. I became aggressive, introverted and, dare I say, vengeful toward all those who I thought had influence or money. You know the story. Mine isn’t isolated.
Many years later, while attending college, I took a job with the local parks and recreation department. I worked in athletics and the role I had was eventually contracted out to a commercial operator. For three whole months I worked in the private sector and gritted my teeth behind the smile of serving individuals who treated me as if they needed to wipe me off their shoes after every encounter. I called my old boss in parks and recreation and asked for anything they had to get back to serving in a more intrinsically fulfilling fashion. She laughed and said, “How are you with a cash register?” I responded, “I am a quick study.” What she said next though moved my stomach to the lower part of my knees and even as I write this still makes me feel that way. She asked me if I was familiar with the old country club. I whispered back an unenthusiastic yes. She said, “Well it is a public facility now as a part of the company’s liquidation of assets and we are out here trying to give the public the best of what is left here.” “I am in,” I finally said after a long period of processing. I was to return to the very facility I was turned away from so many years earlier.
That call and the previous childhood experience marked the start of what became my obsession. I worked at that facility morning and night, and every day in some capacity. I gave everything I had to make sure we provided the best, most affordable services to everyone who wished to participate. Over the years we negotiated deals, worked for support, and assembled a like-minded team to provide what eventually became the best park/event center asset in the system in many regards. When we left we had close to a million visits a year with hundreds of recreational opportunities. My passion grew to work with many more facilities and services as an eventual director of parks and recreation. I believed so much in the work we did that I applied to become an assistant city manager where I reside today. I am still using those experiences from my younger years as guiding principles day in and day out. Ironically, every position I ever held was not about a promotion or even salary for me. Instead, it was a larger opportunity to provide what everyone should have access to. I never charted the path I was on. I did decide to keep going though, finding that all paths can be a little more“yellow brick” in some fashion for others, and someone has to care enough to make it that way. That’s what public servants do, we epitomize that sentiment. If we do for others, and we do it well, they will rarely know how it all comes together or even what the story is that brought us there. This a small portion of my story. There are many more impactful stories out there amongst us. Remember your story every day and you will never lose your path, even if it was uncharted.
Even Clark Kent and Diana Prince couldn’t be Superman and Wonder Woman, all the time. As a public servant though, is this really okay? Are you expected to be super all the time? If I am being honest, I am, by many who simply expect me to have all answers, have total recall, and be all knowing in many respects. The older I get, the more distant I seem to be from meeting that mark, especially when it comes to the recall, but I really don’t mind the image of being considered “super.”
Why is it that so many expect so much from their public servants? My two cents: we are to blame. We have created a culture of great expectations. Public servants are quite special. We strive to make the imagery of “super” true. We will work all hours, miss personal milestones, and essentially push ourselves to the brink of insanity to make sure others are supported.
What makes a person go to such lengths to please others? There are a host of reasons. I will focus on the most prominent one. Throughout my time in public service, I have had the fortunate opportunity to forge relationships with many colleagues. Whether it be at the coffee maker or providing greetings at the first day of employee orientation, I find myself thirsting for the answer to one question. Usually accompanied by a welcoming smile, I ask, “What on earth made you decide to sign up for public service?!?” The response is often the same, whether offered quickly or from relenting to my tireless digging for the answer.
First, remember your favorite super hero has to have an origin! All of the good ones do. Origin stories help us understand the very drive of our super hero. Ironically, that origin is often the same humanizing quality a hero possesses as well. The struggle with ones’ “super self” is often all about the very thing that spurred them to dawn the cape. Before I get way too nerdy for my readers, let me offer what this one, common response to my question is and give the true origin for public servants.
It’s empathy! Where many may be born with an understanding, most of us gain it through experience. Allow me to offer that those who have struggles can often be understood better by those who have also struggled. I have heard origin stories that range from abuse to limited access. My own story begins with a feeling of shame and limitation. Of all the super public servants I meet, each has some pivotal moment that spawned a burning desire to support others. It is often in an effort to prevent these enlightening, but oh so humbling experiences from happening to others.
What’s amazing about this empathy is that through public service, we gain the super power, that allows us to create paths, support others and generate circumstance to pave a better offering. We help with employment, transportation, quality of life and safety! At the risk of letting my super status sound a bit narcissistic, we change lives and impact society daily. It’s an intoxicating notion, but a true one. To have such an ability is fairly addictive and not a feeling you wish to relinquish. It drives us to forgo many of our own personal wants to afford opportunities for others.
I am not suggesting we mirror the perception to the point of burnout, but I will say, who can blame us for the never ending pursuit to serve others? We have the gained experience, the ultimate motivation, and a tremendous incentive. Those who are served don’t always show the appreciation we would wish, but even one thanks a month provides the justification that our pursuit is just. In lieu of constant praise we often seek affirmation through expectation. In other words, we love the image of a super hero and even if the constant expectation wasn’t there, we would desire it regardless. The more you want us to be super, the more we want to be.
For those who count on us, remember our origins, and even when we fall short, the desire is there and for good reason. For those of us who serve, remember your origins, and accept that it drives you, but even Clark Kent and Diana Prince couldn’t be Superman and Wonder Woman all the time.
Author: Christian Wilson
Editor: Joshua Wilson
Contributor: Tracy Pegram
You don’t know who I am, you don’t know what I do. You keep staring at me as if I should know you. Are you judging me? Or do you just care? What does it mean, this cold meaning stare? Does your stare mean there is something I must do? Or are you the person that hasn’t a clue. Before you see me, gaze upon you, cause the anger that’s felt a mirror reveals true.
A younger Chris Wilson, wrote this many years ago as a result of the frustration of judgment from others. Tired of the judgment of our socioeconomic status, family make-up and even for non-conformity.
In this season of reflection, I am going to ask you to consider a resolution that can assist with the most basic of human gestures, yet is often almost impossible to achieve. Don’t be quick to judge others. Seems simple right? We know it’s not though. Do you judge the person who just asked you for change? How about the person who waved hello that you don’t even know? The person with a parrot on their shoulder or the person who talked about Marvel Comics for twenty minutes? We are often quick to judge. Sometimes we do it in our thoughts, sometimes with our friends, or sometimes directly. This one simple thought often seems harmless. It isn’t. These judgments are often the beginning of something much larger for you, those around you and the person you judge.
What if we didn’t have this immediate reaction of judgment? What if we could give it just a minute longer to get an impression? Aren’t most good decisions given some time and thought? It has often occurred to me that although we possess five senses, we rarely use them in combination. Using our sight or hearing alone can often lead to misrepresentation. The clothes I have on, the hairstyle I possess, or even the way I walk, says something to many upon first encounter. Yet, almost assuredly, we would not want anyone to do that to us.
Our world is struggling as a result of unfair judgment. Judgment of others often leads to bias, fear, and misunderstanding and ultimately, hate. Now more than ever we need love above hate. This year, in 2019, I am resolving again to stand against hate, to not unjustly judge others and continue to work toward celebrating our differences. To do this, we have to know where hate begins. Let one’s whole character speak to who they are. The spread of hate can not be easily spread if unfair judgment is not part of the equation. To fight hate and unfair judgment we must let love for one another be the driver of impressions.
Before you see me, gaze upon you, cause the anger that’s felt a mirror reveals true.
