Though I consider myself a social person, I’m not a huge fan of “unstructured” social activities. You know what I’m talking about—the kinds of events where you walk in a room, drink a little, eat a little, and…talk.
What do you talk about? Well, if the room is full of people you don’t know very well, you go through all your small talk gems—how many kids you have, what you do (or did) for a living, where you live, etc. While many people love “social hour,” to me, it’s a lot of work.
That’s why I decided not to go to the Mothers & More summer picnic two months after I joined the organization last year. I didn’t know many people and, frankly, I wasn’t up for it.
I hadn’t intended on becoming a board member right away, either. I figured becoming a leader in Mothers & More was best saved for when I had been around a couple of years. But I’m a sucker for begging, and when one of the board members sent out a general e-mail about a month after the picnic begging for new blood, I just couldn’t say no, with the caveat that “I don’t know very much about Mothers & More yet.” I became one of three Membership board members, regularly attending chapter meetings, greeting new members and taking part in chapter decisions.
Fast forward eight months. Not only was I present at the picnic, but I had volunteered for the planning committee. As I munched on my brat at the June 2010 event, I surveyed the room…and realized I knew nearly all of the 25-30 moms at the picnic. And I didn’t just know their names: I could tell you their kids’ approximate ages, their interests, their involvement in Mothers & More and, for a few of them, where they were in the potty training process. Throughout the picnic, I chatted easily with dozens of picnic-goers and had a genuinely good time.
I belonged. And it was because I had taken the initiative to become involved. It sounds like a tired cliché, but who knew that volunteering your time could be so rewarding?
Though my term as a board member ends in October, I will continue to serve in leadership positions within the organization because, honestly, I’m addicted!
--Beth
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