Sometimes we need reminding what an amazing thing we’re involved in — and how much it can affect the people who take part.
One of our team shared something with us this morning that felt worth sharing.
A couple of times this year, completely by chance, he’s ended up talking to people about what he does for a living.
And when DofE expeditions came up, people suddenly became much more animated.
Earlier this year, he met a distant relative from New Zealand who he’d never met before. As soon as they started talking about DofE, she began fondly remembering her Bronze expedition — the experience, the adventure, and apparently numerous ferry crossings, which certainly isn’t the norm on a UK Bronze!
Then last night, during an appointment at hospital, the same thing happened again.
The consultant asked what he did for work, and when DofE came up, he immediately started talking about his own expeditions.
He’d completed Bronze, Silver and Gold.
He remembered where he did his Gold expedition.
He remembered going to the Palace.
He remembered his dad going with him.
And, years later, he still spoke about how big a part the Award had played in getting him to where he is now.
There have been other conversations like this too.
And the thing that stands out is how people want to talk about it.
Even if it was a challenge.
Even if the weather was awful.
Even if, at the time, it felt really tough.
They still remember it.
And somewhere along the way, that experience helped shape them — even if years later it’s simply become a story they’re keen to tell someone they’ve never met before.
That’s a pretty powerful thing.
Because in our day-to-day world, it’s easy to get buried in the reality of running expeditions.
The kit is broken.
The kit is wet.
The kit hasn’t come back.
Bookings change.
Instructors are getting tired.
Other instructors are already broken.
There’s no milk in the office fridge.
And there is generally too much to do and not enough time in the day.
But every part of what we do goes towards making a memory for somebody.
We are making a difference in some little way.
And that’s worth remembering.
We’re part of somebody’s bigger picture.
