Are You Listening?

For the past several years I have had the opportunity to volunteer at the ACC Basketball Tou
ament (women’s and men’s) when it is held locally. I got connected with a group of volunteers from the community that “push wheelchairs”. This is a result of one person’s passion to help folks with mobility challenges. He realized that it was a tremendous challenge for someone that could get to the coliseum to then actually make the hike into the arena. We take them by wheelchair to their seats. (Incidentally, nthis is used as a perk when bidding for the Tou
ament).

I have had wonderful opportunities to hear portions of people’s stories while I push their wheelchair to their seat:
• The proud grandmother of one of the players who grins nwidely when you mention her talented granddaughter’s nname.
• The 90 + year old fan that kept me howling with hernlife adventures. Interestingly, her group stayed up every night ntill the wee hours playing poker. She asked me to join them, but
I knew a card shark when I saw one. The phrase “taken to the cleaners” popped into mind.
• The beautiful 35 year old mother of 3 young children with anchronic, fatal disease that wanted to do as many “normal” thingsnas possible with her family.
• The VIP that had the vision for the coliseum and has lived to see it grow and expand.

These are just a few of the stories that I heard while working the Tou
ament. Some of my “take aways” from these encounters include:

• Passion can really change things.
• Everyone has something to share if I will listen.
• Life doesn’t always turn out as planned.
• Having a vision creates what didn’t previously exist.

What do you hear as you go about your daily life? Are you listening, I mean really listening?