Mentors

Some people, myself included, go through life thinking of great ideals, the number one, the only one, master of one trade, singleness of thought, best friend, main squeeze (on some aspects I cannot waver...). Most of the time I have missed extraneous things that should have had a bigger impact on my life. Life lessons can come at you from so many directions, and more often than not the decisions we make set off a chain of events that eventually make us more complete.

One of these areas is the idea of a mentor. I only had experience with this after I had decided what to do with my life and set the actions in motion to advance my career and volunteer efforts within my community. The first person I can recall even thinking of as a mentor was my former boss, Karen, who is a very sharp woman and tempers the realities of her trade with the fullness of her spirituality. Professional in every aspect, she was the model that I set in my head as to things I could aspire to. She took a personal interest into the lives of all of her employees and supported them unconditionally. She is still a big part of my life, even though she is no longer my boss. This "change of dynamic" only opens another door in which our relationship can grow.

Then there was Linda...an Episcopal priest who unknowingly led me toward a deeper relationship with myself, and with God. She taught me how to pray, to find beauty and relevance in everyday events, and to recognize (without pomp and circumstance) what was truly good and right. She also was the epitome of the idea that some people can come into your life and make a bigger impact than those who have been there all along.

After Linda, there came the members of a (now dissolved) mission vestry...Barbara, Al, Lee, and Blanche. In them I realized that the church is, indeed, the people. Each one of them brought something novel and relevant to their experiences. Barbara showed me how to do what's right (but NEVER be a doormat); Al showed me that I had to find the one thing I was excellent at (within my career area- accounting!); Lee showed me how to not be so passive-aggressive; and Blanche reinforced my love of kittens and also showed that grace is not dead. Very lovely people.

Then came Madonna. Madonna has always been around. About two years ago she mentioned the Humane Society and asked if I would be interested in seeing how the board of directors functioned. At the time I was finishing my accounting degree, and time was at a premium. I ran into her again about six months ago and she reminded me...the timing was perfect, so I fell on board. I have been on the board for about two months now, and I cannot relay how awesome of an experience it has been. Since Madonna is one of the founding board members, she has been invaluable in showing me the ways of operation, conduct, and follow-through concerning this aspect of volunteering. Of course, with Madonna came five new potential mentors. Hopefully, the chain will continue and new relationships can be forged.