May 21, 2011

Paternal Instinct

Ryanne has become quite the runner. She made the State Championship in Cross Country this Fall and recently made the state Championships in the 1600 meters. This is pretty amazing considering she doesn't even train.
I am new to all of this track stuff but I have been amazed at the organization of the events. It runs like clock work and utilizes dozens of volunteers that work in concert around the track.

Two weeks ago we were at the Regionals. It was a time when none of the students from Ryanne's school were running so I was kind of half paying attention. I heard the announcement of the 4x200 event and I heard the gun go off. I noticed that Robbinsville jumped out to an early lead. Robbinsville is at the end of the world. Actually you first go to the end of the world and then you go two more miles down a curvy road to get to Robbinsville. They have some incredible runners. I guess when you train in those deep mountains, you can run anywhere.

By the first hand off Robbinsville had a 10 yard lead and the second runner started to expand the lead. By the time the third runner took the baton, she had a 20 yard lead and when the final runner hit the home stretch she was a good 25 yards ahead.

But then a funny thing happened. This little girl from Murphy High School looked like she had been shot out of a cannon and she started to walk the 4th Robbinsville runner down. The entire bleachers stood and screamed and even though she didn't look back she could feel the pressure of the Murphy runner closing fast. Maybe it was her parents on the fence screaming to go faster, maybe it was her coach imploring her to finish strong, maybe it was her own body trying to push to speeds she wasn't used to, but what ever it was, it got her off balance and she took a face plant 10 feet from the finish line. Not 10 yards and not 10 steps but 10 feet. Right in front of me.

I screamed NOOOOOO, and I jumped down the bleachers. I was literally almost ready to jump the small fence the separated the fans from the track. My paternal instinct wanted to help this young girl. She laid there sobbing as a hush went over the field. All 7 other runners crossed the finish line. She still stayed down and was crying. I heard her dad say, "Get up sweet heart and finish." He didn't say it in a kind of jack ass tone, but in a loving fatherly tone.

I applauded her as she got up and I even encouraged her as she walked across the finish line.

Ryanne came up to me and said, "Did you see that?"

"Of course I saw that," I replied. "I am going over to talk to her."

"Stay out of it dad."

"No, No. I just want to encourage her and make sure she is OK"

"Dad, please stay out of it. Besides, what would you say?"

"Well I want to tell her to keep her head up."

Ryanne looked at me with this kind of smirk and said, "Well since she fell on her face, she might not find that too comforting."

"Shut up, you know what I mean."

I didn't go over and talk to her. But if I would have I would have told her that if that was the worst thing to happen in your life, then life for you will be pretty good. Forever she has a story to tell about overcoming adversity. There are thousands of young girls she can inspire with a story of how she handled the fall.

10 feet from the finish line and she takes a "header." I hate to tell you this kids, but that seems like it happens twice a week for the rest of your life. I think it's God's quirky sense of humor, and it's just his way of telling us that he is control. Get up and finish and let's move on to the next event.

May 7, 2011

HUGGIES

Friday I was visited by an old friend. Jack used to work for me and it had been over a year since we had seen each other. When he walked in my office he stuck out his hand for me to shake, but I said, “Come on now, we hug in this family.” We hugged like long lost brothers.

Hugging in the work place can be awkward, especially with people you see every day. It is nothing to hug that friend that you have not seen in a long time. In the Y business, so many of these people are like family so conferences are like family reunions. But how do you hug the person you see all the time? I have had a couple of female staff that worked for me for so long that hugs were second nature. On special occasions I would even receive a peck on the cheek.

I would have to catch myself though. The Corders have a bad habit, passed down from my grandfather Gaither Corder, of patting butts! Almost every time I hug April I give her a little tap on the derriere. I am so afraid that out of instinct I will do that unexpectedly to a board member. That will be a doozy to explain.

Hugs are the best part of work. When I was a program director, it was awesome to be in the grocery store and have some kid come up and hug you. Now, when I walk through Harris Teeter the hug may come from a little old lady! That is still awesome.

I have been in some pretty emotional meetings that when they ended, we have just hugged it out. Funerals, births of babies, graduations and just life crises all warrant the big bear hug.

I don’t want you to think that I am some creepy guy always lurking around corners ready to pounce on you. Often when I walk through the Y, I just give a hand slap, fist bump, pat on the back, punch in the arm and sometimes a hip check. Research shows, that a touch lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, creates trust and can even heal. That is not why I do it. I hug and pat and slap because I want to say I appreciate you and I like having you around!

So the next time you see me at the Harris Teeter, church, the Y or even out on the golf course, come up to me and say, “Hey, we hug in this family.” Maybe even a peck on the cheek would be nice!