The best things in life: Part One -get glory with these hands-

Log start: 12:48am June 30th, 2010

-get glory with these hands- <-- not only is it an H&MC song, but also the theme for this post :p

The best things in life sometimes you don't notice yourself. Sometimes, you don't even know it's happened until someone tells it to you. Sometimes we're just so oblivious to it that we miss it completely. Well, that may happen more than we know it, but today i caught a glimpse of it and i must say that it's pretty wonderful :p

So, if you actually read this blog and you know me, you'd know that im a lifeguard. As a lifeguard on duty during the summer at Queens College, we teach a summer camp that houses around 1,000 or more children. These children come in daily for about 8 weeks, they play games, they meet new friends, and they go to activities. Activities such as swimming are part of their daily routine for 8 weeks.

Now, let me explain something first. When i first took the job about 5 years ago, i thought children were cute and amazing (like me). LOL. I just assumed that everyone had a positive attitude about learning how to swim and that i'd turn them into tommorow's Micheal Phelps.

*sigh*

5 years later, i start camp going... "ugh... another year..."
I know that i've made an impact on these kids, i've taught them a skill that they'll keep for the rest of their lives. For example, this little asian girl named Elizabeth. I've taught her in camp for 5 years, from when she wore a lifejacket to where she is now as a level 6 (highest level) swimmer that there is. I know that i wasn't the sole cause of her amazingness at such a young age, but i was part of it. Knowing that these kids aren't wasting your time and that they've actually picked a skill up because of you is something so amazing that you must experience for yourself. (No, i don't want to be a public school teacher, brah. Don't even jinx me like that.)

Sometimes i take this for granted because not everyone of these kids are sweet little kids, some are demon children and they ruin the experience. But these little kids who make something out of it is all i need to fuel myself everyday when i teach them. The thought that maybe just some of them, even maybe just one, will make something for themselves, and when i'm in my chair one day reading the newspaper or watching the TV and i see one of these kids on whatever im watching/reading, i can go "Awesome" *pats self on back*

Isn't that the primary purpose in life? to pass on information to younger generations so that they might later pass it on or make it better. (i make myself sound sooooo old)

Nothing much to talk about today though, since it was the first day. But when i got off of work today, i was walking next to a counselor (basically the teacher equivalent of a class) who was with a small little kid, no more than 10 years old and she asked him "what was your best part of the day?" and the little kid replied "SWIMMING!" the counselor asked "swimming was best part of your whole day?" and he replied "YES! I LOVE SWIMMING!"

After a hectic first day back at work, this is all i will ever need to keep myself going. Knowing that we (as a team) can make such an impact on a little kid who could of chosen something like playing games, or colouring, or even having lunch, but he chose swimming instead. You can't believe how happy that makes me. It's like my stress level just goes from 90% to 10%, all the anger that i've built up throughout the whole day from annoying kids, you just forget after realizing the impact that you've made.

Sometimes, fame/glory/things just come to you, but what's the fun in that if you can't achieve it with your own hands? Knowing that all the effort you put in something actually means something one day makes all the difference in the world.


Edit: Sometimes the best things in life we take for granted, or don't know it's there. But when we realize it, it's the thing that keeps us running in life.

HakoneDayDreamer, Self-satisfaction +1.