I was twenty-three years old when I first (consciously) experienced this memorable life lesson.
I was (the new) Director of Social Functions of a preeminent boarding school at the time. To kick off the school year in style, I’d hired an expensive band to play at the all-school dance.
The band arrived, the equipment unloaded, refreshments delivered – all appeared to be in order until the sound check. What I didn’t know (and my predecessor had forgotten to tell me) is that big sound equipment requires big outlets that can handle big voltage. Without additional wiring measures the equipment could blow and fry the circuits in the entire building.
And during the test run, they did. The gym went dark. And I went into dry heaves.
In a panic I raced over to the campus maintenance (no cell phones back then, nor it seems walkie-talkies). It was past 6 pm on a Saturday night with most of the buildings-and-grounds’ crew gone for the weekend. What would I do with 1,200 students, no show, and no way to entertain them until their 11:30 curfew (read: keep them out of mischief).
I bumped into one of my colleagues, an English teacher, residential dean at the school, and beloved mentor to me.
In my blubbering state I’ll never forget the moment “Mr. Bailey” took both my shoulders and in the gentlest way said to me: “Stephanie, look at me. It’s going to work out. It always does.”
Something about those sage words and the way he said them made me feel instantly calm. I believed him. I didn’t know how we’d pull the rabbit out of the bag at the eleventh hour, but I knew it would work out.
And it did.
Can you remember a situation where the outcome felt hopeless or impossible at the time? Maybe it didn’t play out in the way you had hoped or expected. But I’ll bet it did work itself out somehow. Or will.
It always does.
Photo: Google Images/Plugging In
