When You See the Worst, Be Your Best

Recently, I volunteered for the Holiday Hustle, a 1-mile walk/run and 5k race in Dexter. It was my first time and lucky for me, they assigned me to traffic detail. I had to stand out by the “Road Closed” sign and remind everyone why the road was closed and try to help them figure out how to get where they were trying to go. For those of you who don’t know, the Holiday Hustle is important in Dexter. Between the two races, it is estimated that over two thousand people took part in either walking or running. Pretty impressive for our small town. That many people means a lot of traffic. Much of the track that went through neighborhoods and only a small portion was on any of the major roads in our small but awesome downtown. The weather (for early December in Michigan) was good, and the race participants all seemed to have had a positive experience. I too had a positive experience volunteering.

Until I didn’t.

While volunteering I started reminding myself of an old saying. One bad apple can spoil the bushel. A person would demand to go down a road being used for the race. I had to tell them no. I asked where they were trying to get to, so I could try and help them navigate and ‘back road’ it to their location. I would say 90% of the people that were inconvenienced for a couple of hours on a Saturday in December so a couple thousand people could take to our streets for some good, clean fun were understanding and outstanding. Many thanked me for volunteering. Many thanked me for the ‘back road’ advice. Several recognized me from a certain picture from a certain place in a certain newspaper that gets printed every week attached to some goofy Tribe of Up thing. Most were everything I knew of our community. Wonderful, patient, and kind. I was happy and proud. I love our community. Everyone was great.

Until ‘they’ started showing up.

The people who apparently didn’t know about the Holiday Hustle. People who were running late and just had to get to the grocery store right then and there, had theater tickets, or were otherwise be more like The Grinch and less like Santa (there were many dressed like both running and walking in the Holiday Hustle. Well done to all of you who dressed up). I was yelled at, cursed at, given a certain gesture that involves a certain finger and almost hit on 4 different occasions (once by the same vehicle). I write about being up. I met some people who made that challenging. That is how I knew I was assigned to the perfect volunteer spot. I refused to let those few Grinches ruin my Holiday Hustle experience. I focused on the Santas, not the Grinches. This holiday season, I challenge you to do the same. Focus on joy, not the grumpy. The up, not the down. Be a light. Advocate for more joy this holiday season. Happy Holidays to you all!