Being new.
No one likes it. New at a school, new in a neighborhood, new in a grade, new even at CWD Friends for Life. There are ribbons worn by ‘First Timers’ at this event so people know that they can help them should their paths cross. There are ways to help people and there is also David’s way of helping people.
David is a man (I will leave his last name off because he might not want to be publicly identified) whom we all need to take a page from his book of helping; whether at a conference or back in out hometowns.
David is a d-dad and I am convinced that David has taken the approach that he will never forget what it was like when his family was all new at this and made the decision that he is going to sit with as many people ‘new at this’ as physically possible. All throughout the conference, David seemed to always be sitting with someone knew. Answering questions, listening, and caring.
No fanfare or letting people know his intentions. When I first noticed him at a table, I later noticed him again, and again, and again…….always with someone different.
Now that may not seem like a big deal, but when someone is new some place—-nothing can substitute for a friendly ‘Hello, I am ABC. Are you new at this?”
Everyone ‘would rather’ just hang out with their friends. At home, at a conference, makes no difference. It’s easy just to stay within our inner circles and ‘be safe and comfortable”. But we should all take a page from David’s book of reaching out. Being new can really suck sometimes.
Being new in this diabetes world………can suck big time. Don’t wait for someone to COME TO YOU……let them know you are there; you may change much more than just their world………..you may change yours.
I am a diabetes dad.
Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.
6 replies on ““Who Reached Out to You?” Someone Could Use Your Help?”
I learned about FFL from Crystal Bowersox who was the very first person with Type 1 my son met (after being diagnosed for six years). Then some lovely FFL folks on Facebook gave me a glimpse of how special the conferences are and I had to pull out all the stops to get us there. I had hopes of many hugs, meeting understanding folks and for my incredibly isolated son… a friend for life. Our being painfully shy at first is a big issue when it comes to our introducing ourselves. Watching small groups of friends meet each other after a long absence and hug at the start of the conference, stick by each other throughout, and then hug again and cry at the final breakfast was a beautiful sight, from afar. Reaching out to newcomers is more important than many realize, especially for primarily-socially-awkward folks like us. It is a fabulous thing that this David has been doing.
Thank you for adding this very important comment—–it is always good to reach out……no matter where you are.
Greeting newcomers is a great idea! I am pleased to hear about David doing this. I was a newcomer in 2013, and I was greeted by so many people, some I knew from D support groups, and others were strangers to me. I felt very comfortable there, and I want to return to other FFL meetings as often as I can.
And we can hardly wait to see you again. 🙂
Great Points! Thanks for being a good friend and mentor. It was great to see you again last week. I wish we could have had more time to chat, but I did get a chance to meet a bunch of d-dads and d-fmailies. I made a few more friends for life. Maybe I’ll come to NY for a weekend and we’ll catch up. Thanks for the shout out for the dads group, about 12 plus joined in a day. Take care.
Thanks Tim—-great to see you and your wonderful family!!!!!