Going back to your roots
Recently I went to see my daughter’s school production of The Sound of Music - and it was wonderful! First of all, The Sound of Music, what’s not to love? It’s always been one of my favourite musicals, and the production quality and performances were really impressive.
Second of all, watching it made me feel really nostalgic, not just because it reminded me of when I was in productions myself (back in my school and university days), but also because the song “Edelweiss” took me straight back to my days as a Girl Guide and Girl Scout leader. I have so many fond memories of those times sitting around campfires, surrounded by kids, and laughing uncontrollably as we sang that song. It involved a sequence of complicated hand gestures which would travel one way around the circle, then change direction, resulting in much hilarity because it’s honestly much more challenging than it sounds!
Hearing Edelweiss again made me reflect on those formative teenage years, and the role that guiding - when I got to work with large groups, and help kids to grow and develop - has played in shaping the person I am today. The experience gave me so much confidence, which I’m still drawing on in my professional life (and to a lesser extent my personal life) 30 years later, and equipped me with some of the skills which have been helping me to live through change ever since.
Being a Girl Guide and Girl Scout leader wasn’t really so different from the work I do now, although granted, the audience wasn’t quite the same. But it’s easy to see the connections between sitting around a campfire with 100 people and getting them engaged, making them laugh, holding their attention, and teaching them how to collaborate, with a lot of the leadership development, coaching and mentoring work that I’ve dedicated my working life to.
Thinking back to those early experiences has reminded me how important it is to remember our roots, and the different experiences and influences that have shaped us during our lifetimes. It’s not always the most obvious or significant things: sometimes, small but pivotal events or interactions can have a profound effect on the people we become, and how we choose to live our lives.
It’s important to take a moment to think about the past, revisit our roots and acknowledge and honour these influences, because when we live through change, they can provide us with anchor points which help us to make conscious and intentional choices about how we move forward.
Watching the Sound of Music has also reminded me how much I love singing, so I’m off to Google “local choirs”. Watch this space to find out where that journey takes me. I hope that, after reading this, you’re inspired to set aside some time to think about your roots and the different experiences that have influenced you and shaped who you are.
