Thursday, November 3, 2011

Those that do



Have you noticed that around you there are those that do and those that don't, and those that do what they've been asked to do ("but I don't want to run the thing")?

Schools are perfect examples where the do'ers are recognised widely and warmly.  They are the parents who step up to organise the mothers/fathers day stall, the book parade barbie, the hat parade barbie, the class dinners, the end of year school party.

They are obvious in the work place - they organise the Melbourne Cup Sweep, the Mid Winter drinks, the Christmas party.

They are natural born social leaders. They get things happening, get people together, create events. And they generally do it on their own instigation with help only arriving after many email requests.

One of my dear friends is the Queen of Do'ers.  She even won a state award for her contributions to our school community.  She is surrounded by fellow do'ers.  She will be leaving our school in another year, and although we're all terrified at the thought of it, there is a new generation of do'ers coming through.  Thank gawd!

Me?  I like to think of myself as a "helper", I step up to "help" with stuff sometimes.  Not always.

And I hear my gorgeous friend Ashley snorting in bemusement.  Because she is a do'er, and she asked me for help.  And I couldn't be fagged leaving my seat to help with the queue of kids waiting for their sausage at the book parade barbie.  I said something like "Put me down as a possible if you can't find anyone else" - shameful. I had lame excuses after the fact - like I had to zoom home as my eldest suddenly decided he didn't want to be dressed as Skullduggery Pleasant all day ("and could you get me one of my new t-shirts and my Dodgers hat please mum"), and I had to pick up the Husband with his 2 dozen beers standing outside the bottl'o in his suit after a morning meeting.  But the fact is I didn't know this at the time. I had no excuse.

I had become a Those That Don't.

I hang my head in shame.

There's a school party tonight.  The golf club it's being held at will no doubt be swarming with the do'ers from the school, getting it decorated and ready so we all have a good night.  And if something goes wrong, the Those That Don't's will be the first to criticise.

So in the spirit of blogging with purpose, I self flagellate.  I will step up.  I will do.

How would you describe yourself?
Honestly?



1 comment:

  1. Have so become a Doer and always regret saying yes again to another event/chair position.

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