It was the ending of an era. A week ago today, I worked my last shift at the Kerr Family YMCA. After spending a little over a year working there, I would be remiss not to write a blog in the honor of all the amazing people that I met during my time there. Was the job less than idea at times? Yes. Did I clean the same pieces of workout equipment who knows how many hundreds of times? Yes. Were there some members who were not always the nicest? I mean… Did I go through phases where I was bored out of my mind? Yes. Is there so much good that I could also go on about? Yes.
At the Y, I met so many of the kindest people. So many people who would notice if I seemed “off,” tired, or if I wasn’t there. So many people who cared that I was leaving to go on the Race, who supported me financially, through words of encouragement, and through prayers. So many people who became my friends and family.
I started working at the Y right after moving home from college. My two best friends were both in other cities and I was working through the struggle that is transitioning from a life of all school to a life with no school. I didn’t have any real community and was kind of floundering around. The first few weeks at the Y were a bit painful. I’m an extrovert with introverted tendencies. I hate not knowing people, I want to know people and be friends with them. However, (cue introvert), I really hate walking up to people and introducing myself for the heck of it. But I did it, because that was the job. Thankfully people were welcoming and just super awesome. I made some great friends. Some of these friends also like to lift and play volleyball – which was just what I needed.
I also apparently needed growth. Growth came in learning how to listen to people and care for them when they told me alllllll their problems (“resident gym therapist” is going on my resume). Growth came in the humility that stems from realizing it’s okay to have a college degree and work as a glorified janitor and the reminder that you should never, ever look down on janitors/cleaning crews. Just because they do a job you don’t want to do it doesn’t mean they’re lesser– they’re actually probably better people than you are. Growth came in learning to channel my thoughts toward God and to caring for the people around me instead of focusing on myself and what I was going through (still working on that one but at least I know I can do it with concentrated effort haha..). Growth in learning how to make people smile by caring for the little details like knowing what tv station was their favorite.
Overall, my time at the Y was a blessing. It had its struggles, don’t get me wrong, but the people I was able to meet during my time there made everything worth it. There are so many Y members who have become friends – and to those of you reading this blog, you guys were the ones who made my time there so great. I am incredibly thankful for you!
My last shift at the Y was the ending of an era. The beginning of the end. The first of many good-byes. If this era was so good, I absolutely can’t wait to see what the next one holds.
There are nineteen days until I leave Wake Forest, twenty-one days until Launch begins in Atlanta, and twenty-four days until we touch down in Belize. The river of time has gotten fast and narrow. Let’s roll.
