The West Wing

I love the TV show West Wing. Ryanne (my daughter) and I watched a few episodes this weekend from the first season. This is still one of my all time favorite shows, even though it actually slipped in the last two years of production.

In the early years it was about the relationships between these noble people who worked for the President and served the country for this great historical cause. Reality though is that somehow after probably a billion dollars was spent by Bush and Kerry to smash each other, (and today’s candidates will top that,) all elections today are about serving to get re-elected. And the White House hopefuls serve to get elected! SUCH NOBILITY!

That makes perfect sense because that is exactly why most people vote today - To defeat the incumbent or to keep their person in office. Why couldn’t people go to the poles because of their civic duty and to have their voice heard on whom their leader is? Can decisions strictly be made because of sincere ideologies of genuine people. Nope, our votes typically are based on left or right - Democrat or Republican.

But I digress,

West Wing like other good shows always ruin themselves by creating too much drama. ER was the worst. The first two years were great because they centered on the people and the relationships around the ER. Then, and I’ve timed it, every 8 minutes the doors would blow open and an emergency would fly in and create this chaos. And not just a typical emergency, but it would be a busload of teenage cheerleaders on their way to build a house for the Habitat for Humanity. Or someone would come in with a 3-inch bomb taped to his or her chest that could blow up the entire state of Illinois. Too much drama! My wife would always chastise me to relax, that the show was called ER!

SO, in its last years, the West Wing all of a sudden became terrorist attacks, wars, bombs, deaths, kidnappings etc. Every episode. No more relationships.

I like to imagine my own life and draw parallels to this show. (The Y and the West Wing.) I am the President and I think everyone should stand when I enter the room. But that same kind of respect from Jeb Bartlett’s staff doesn’t transfer to the halls of the YMCA! My staff barely show up on time to my meetings much less stand when I enter the room.

But the Y, like West Wing, is about a group of people, working hand in hand for a mission far more worthy than we can imagine. But it’s not the crises that make the Y like the show. It is the relationships that are formed around the office. It is the short quick vignettes in hallways, behind office doors, over meals. That is what makes a show and that is what makes a job. That is what makes working for the Y such a great job. It’s not the drama, it’s the people.

We continually hear during exit interviews, “I’ll miss the people the most. They have become my family.” When in staff retreats we talk about what we were thankful for, everyone was thankful for the staff around the room. And that isn’t just some insignificant dribble that we all say to feel like part of the team and to get extra Brownie points from the CEO. I know at this point, some staff may ask, “Are there really Brownie points from the CEO?” Well that is another blog!

Today, take stock of what is important in your life….the people, the family, the faith, the country, the helpless, the hopeful, the lost, and the found.