One of the ways in which I have been able to do this is through my remarkable experiences here in my final months spent in Macon. My involvement with Central Georgia Autism (CGA), and my work at the children's gym here in Macon: SportzQuest.
My story with CGA began last April 2013. A woman named Janet Ward emailed me inquiring about balloon twisting for a fundraiser to be held by Lake Tobosofkee. I already had two gigs booked for that day, but was able to squeeze in CGA for an hour and a half. "Do you have a preference of costume?" I asked Janet. I had a Cinderella party in Phenix City and then one in Eastman after that, so I was going to be pressed for time driving with very little time to worry about costume switches. "No," she said. "If you're going to be Cinderella at your next event, I'm sure that that will be fine for the kids at ours."
And so, I showed up that Saturday dressed as Cinderella, balloons in hand. The event was a success, the children loved the "Blue Princess" and the balloons, and I was invited back for the December Christmas party.
December rolls around, and I am back for the Christmas party, which is another success. I have a total blast. Central Georgia Autism is a wonderful group that does so much for autistic children in Central Georgia. They frequently host events for autistic children and their parents to attend, and they lobby for important causes associated with autism, such as insurance coverage for therapy for children with autism. I started attending CGA's event with little concept of autism, but as time went on, began to grow more intrigued with the cause and with all of the work they were a part of. What really struck me was how many people autism had touched - women who worked in the financial aid office at Wesleyan, even my future boss, who I, to my surprise, ran into at a CGA gig! People from all over Macon were a part of CGA and this amazing cause, and CGA helped them to rally around a purpose and inspire them to push forward with motivation and drive. They supported each other, and supported these children with autism, throughout all of their different struggles - and that really touched my heart. I experience Ava's Law Rally for CGA in February, and was able to watch as CGA again rallied around a common cause to better the lives of these children and make these parent's struggles a little easier. And I came to love the people I met! "You're our mascot, Lacy!" Janet exclaims. I loved meeting the parents and kids and seeing how excited simple balloons and meeting a princess made them. It is my own little way of helping CGA to touch lives, no matter how small it may be.
My journey with Sportz Quest began in February when I was freaking out about not getting into Grad School. I needed a job, and something exercise oriented, to look good and boost my application for next year. I had a job at Sportz Quest within a week after stumbling across the job post online. I wasn't that sure what to expect. I was excited, but at the same time, it still started as "just a job". That all changed though, the longer I spent there.
First of all, it was rough at first. It's one thing to work with kids and be a princess (talk about good listeners!) but what about when you're just yourself?
"Alright dear, would you like to do this forward roll for me and stay still and not get out of line and listen to my directions exactly?"
... No. No, they do not want to. These kids will run all over you if you don't own up to the "Alpha Dog" role real quick. Running around, frantic and sweaty, became my life for the three days a week that I worked. I began to run into kids that I met at birthday parties at Sportz Quest. Janet and Rachel Foster, who owns Sportz Quest, were good friends! These connections began to grow, and I began to experience such a growing sense of togetherness and community that I had never felt with Macon. Sportz Quest began to change me. I am working there all week now, at camps and classes and field trips. I became more assertive with the kids, I worked with all kinds of kids, I got to teach kids at Mulberry Methodist on the GAME Bus and started doing field trips for the Wellness Center and Northwoods Academy - truly diving headfirst into Macon and all that it was about.
This Thursday, I had the opportunity to work with Rachel at Jay's Hope Camp, a camp for kids with Cancer. This turned out to be really special for me. I didn't want to pity these kids, some of whom had crutches and brain tumours and bandages on their arms and tubes in their chest. Instead I felt comradery, but not in the way that is by any means a comparison of their situation to mine. Cancer isn't Diabetes, and Diabetes isn't cancer. We battle entirely different things. But what I felt was the mutual respect for those whose bodies have betrayed them and the constant longing to not let that knowledge define us. COMPLETELY different cases - but the conclusion I draw is this:
You can't always change your situation. Hell, in fact, there will only sometimes be a few things about any given situation that you CAN control, and much more that you can't.
A good friend told me in March,
"focus on what you have the power to change."
And how true this is! Dear kids, I cannot change your situation. I cannot heal your broken body. Friends, I cannot change your situation, whether it's a bad car situation or finances.
What can I do? I can give you a smile. I can pick you up in my car and drive with loud, happy music with the windows down and buy you 75 cent ice cream cones from Burger King and drive past the pretty houses downtown.
Ice cream doesn't fix everything, that's for sure. But sometimes, it's silly little things like ice cream that make our outlook just a little brighter...
Sometimes, it's teaching a somersault to a kid with cancer, who stops to smile and say this is the best activity they've done at camp. Or making a balloon for a child with autism. It's telling a funny joke, or pointing out the bright side. It's listening. I can't fix your problems. I CAN try and make you feel a little better. Make you a card just because. Write a letter or bake you cookies. I am a detail-oriented person, and a little things person. Some people change the world one big step at a time - I change the world, one little thing at a time, observing the things that happen that many people overlook, and remembering those that aren't always remembered. This is my own calling and way that is unique to me, and I am so happy to have been exposed to experiences that help me to realize this.
And what's more, these experiences... with CGA, with Sportz Quest, with Jay's Hope... they bring me outside of myself and my own problems.
Look around: everyone you see faces problems as big to them as yours are to you. We all have such challenges and pain...
Helping these people and being involved in these causes has helped me to focus less on my Diabetes, which is my own individual struggle, and see what beautiful and mind blowing experiences that I can have with or without; in spite of, a chronic disease. My own troubles are still of importance, but they take the backburner when I can have the opportunity to impact the lives of others in these little ways. These experiences take me out of my own sphere and teach me a greater level of compassion for others and their difficulties and joys and triumphs and sorrows. And it inspires me on a level that makes me feel more capable and able to handle the challenges that my own life throws my way.
In short, it is the healthiest, most beautiful and life changing thing, to stand with fellow humans and not fight more merely one cause - not just for Diabetes or autism or cancer or anything else, but against the fact that we are all struggling and all of us in some way, are a product of our challenges. When we rise and stand for this, and we stand for others and learn that our own unique experiences give us tools that equip us to help others in a variety of different situations...
Well, this is what truly feels like humanity is all about. I am so blessed to touch lives in the little ways. And thankful for having learned this.
