Thankful Day Eight - The Other Ones

Since I wrote yesterday’s thankfulness this morning, I find myself on a subject roll.

I served on another volunteer committee these last few months, one that was formed to support a mill levy override initiative in order to give the local school district more money. It was a great campaign, one I’m exceedingly proud of. We failed miserably, lost three to one, but that does not damper the passion I feel for the cause. The loss is understandable given the other education initiative on the ballot, which was a state amendment, a billion dollar income-tax state amendment. Whoever attached the b-word to that amendment assured its demise.

Anyway, what I'm thankful for today are the people I met while working on the campaign. When I walked into the first meeting and looked around the room, I knew one person at the table, and I didn’t know him very well.

Walking into the same room today, same people at the table, I would call many of them friends. Again, by giving just a small amount of myself, my time . . . I have been rewarded many times over in new relationships.

Two in particular . . . Cathy and Eileen, who have become more than friends; they’re beta readers too, which makes them doubly priceless. They are strong, opinionated, funny, life-loving women, who I enjoy being around and talking to. Now that the campaign is over, I look forward to spending time with them on a purely social basis. But, as with many women like us, time is our issue. All three of us are ridiculously over-committed, but that only adds to what makes us interesting, n’est pas?

I’m thankful for others I met as well, most of whom I never would’ve had the opportunity to meet. They come from varied walks of life, but were brought together by a man with a vision, the superintendent of the district.

I had a conversation with him the other night, election night, and in it, he told me I’m his hero for following my dream of writing. It struck me when he said it, in its unexpectedness. Because, you see, he is my hero. He is the reason I agreed to work on the campaign in the first place. He is bright and funny and committed to what he does. He wears his passion for schools and students on his sleeve, and shouts out gladly how he feels about the role he is in.

I wrote the other day that I am thankful for our school district. His philosophies trickle down to each building associated with that district. We are who we are today, because of his influence. It will continue until the day comes when the past mistakes of previous administrations are forgiven, maybe even forgotten. What will remain, is the legacy of a man with passion, integrity and commitment. Who I am also proud to call a friend.