When we moved to Mt Pleasant just before the new year of
2007 I had a far-fetched dream of creating a children's museum. We had
opportunities to be exposed to a few museums, including the crown jewel in
Indianapolis. I remember researching it
during those early days here and realizing there was far too much involved for
my comfort zone in trying to do it alone.
I knew relatively few people at that point. So I put it on the back burner. I figured I'd get to know my community and
then see if opportunities presented themselves.
It was a dream come true when I learned of a few people who were working
on that exact dream back at the end of 2008.
Early 2009 I began to be involved. Nick got involved as well. We each played some different roles. In February I was asked if I'd be on the
board. I reluctantly said yes figuring
it wouldn't be any more of a commitment than I had already made. I was in the
middle of helping work on several documents in preparation for a community
meeting, where the idea would be announced and feedback from the community
could begin.
For 2 1/2 years I gained a BIG education in working on a
grass roots start-up effort, having board responsibilities that grew and changed
constantly with need, getting to know our community better, stretching the mind
to bridge this focus for kids/families with all the minutia that has to take
place to get there, learning to deal with communication and priority differences
and not lose sight of the end result, and stretching myself to limits I had no
idea I was capable of. I began to eat,
sleep and drink museum. As much as I
wanted to be a part of the effort from that beginning stage to completion I
knew that a time would come when I'd have to let go and move on. In May 2011 that time presented itself very
clearly to me and I disconnected myself completely from the effort. I needed to become an observer from the
sidelines. I could not give the time
that I had been giving without further compromising my health and relationship
with my family. It was a very hard
decision but one I have never regretted.
It didn't mean I didn't care about the effort. Unfortunately I cared far too much and would
obsess about things from the sidelines but tried to stay silent as it was no
longer my role.
Daniel became the first Youth Advisory Board (YAB) member
with a small meeting late summer 2009 that included him, me and two other board
members: Jennifer Fields and Andy Marks.
When I separated myself from museum involvement, Dan choose to continue
participating.
I was proud of him for
doing so as I knew it meant a lot to him.
Nick offered to take him to meetings.
I knew that if I did I'd want to continue with various responsibilities or
take more on.
But it was no longer my
time.
Nick gets plenty of praise for his
support of Dan in the continued meetings and events for the next year and a
half.
It was such a big deal for Dan to
get to be part of the
news coverage this morning.
He is pretty happy he could be involved and
feel he had a link on a very personal level.
He has learned lifelong lessons in responsibility of volunteering and
being involved in his community.
Today I got to see the museum in full working operation with
so many smiling faces. I don't know if
there were unhappy faces. I didn't
notice any. I heard our boys still express
interest in spending more time there when they had already spent 9 hours prior
to the grand opening. This included a
soft opening a few weeks ago, the ribbon cutting yesterday and a very early
morning there with 9&10 live news coverage.
I didn't know how I'd feel today as things switch to
operation phase. Would I feel sad that I
hadn’t been involved for the past year and a half? The answer is no. I feel perfectly satisfied with the effort I
was able to give. Hard things happened
along the way, and I can't change that.
But I choose to dwell on the fact that there are happy kids engaging
themselves in play and learning. I
choose to celebrate the many wonderful friendships I have made over the years
with people I would have never met otherwise.
I feel completely satisfied that I gave everything I had to give when I
could give it. I hope that in some small
way that made a difference.
When I was still young I remember filling out a resume.
My father suggested I write
"I like to make a difference".
I have thought of that often as I wasn't sure
why I should write that.
Did I really
want to make a difference? I soon learned that I really do like to make a
difference.
No matter how small or big
the role it feels good to be anxiously engaged in a good cause to make a
difference in this world, even in a small corner.
I believe I have gained greater appreciation
of many people coming together in common cause, to make a difference.
It feels good to know that at the end of the
day the effort can produce something positive. For this I celebrate the Mt
Pleasant Discovery Museum.
