Many would say that lessons are to be learnt from certain experiences and I totally agree with that but that day, I just couldn't see the lesson I was supposed to learn.
Few years back, say three years ago, I was just chit chatting with some of my friends at a youth meeting. The monthly youth meeting was a gathering of youths to discuss certain arising issues and possible ways of fixing the issues. I was very less concerned about the meeting, "after all it wasn't affecting me directly" I thought.
I noticed that I was getting piercing stares from the youth coordinator but that didn't bother me either. I kept chit chatting about trivial issues forgetting where I was.
Everyone's attention was drawn when we heard " please may the following youths step out". Names were listed and my name was the second to the last name called. I stepped out with an innocent face.
Leadership positions were given out and then I was called upon. I walked close to the lady that called me and she said, "behold thy youth secretary",with a smile on her face. "Youth what?!" "Secretary? What do I even know about being a secretary?" I asked myself, lost in thoughts. I was brought back by the loud clapping I heard from the audience. I feigned a smile and walked back to my seat majestically. "It's a new dawn" I sighed.
From that moment, I had to start taking minutes. I was a novice to all these things and so I did it the way I could. I went home,proofread, edited and typed the minutes with little or no supervision. It took me a whole week to do all those things.
I took a sample copy of the minutes to the youth coordinator and she waved it off. She didn't even read it. All she said was, "it's okay" and that was it.
I returned home and made many more copies to be distributed on the day of the meeting. That day finally came and it was a very bad day for me.
On that day, adults, parents and youths were at that meeting. It was a big meeting. The first setback was insufficient minutes to go round everybody. I was scolded and embarrassed. I took it in good faith and acted as if nothing happened.
I was called upon to read my minutes. I apologized for the insufficient minutes and went ahead to read. Everybody seemed to have a correction for my minutes.
My feet began trembling, my voice became wonky. I was sweating when the room was perfectly ventilated. That was the moment. The moment I dreaded the most. I never expected so many corrections to my minutes.
After the meeting, I was summoned by the youth coordinator and I was given the scolding of my life. She said so many mean things to me. I got home and cried my heart out. I later came to a realization that crying won't salvage my situation and so I decided to take things into my hands.
I did my researches, watched video, searched for past minutes and I was good to go. The next minute I made was very good. I had only two corrections which were wrong spellings of people's names.
I felt accomplished when I finished reading the minutes and I heard a round of applause. It felt very good. I came to the conclusion that certain things need proper knowledge and supervision. If I didn't do my research, I probably would have gotten more rounds of scoldings and embarrassment.
The first terrible minutes was a great setback but I came off it and waxed stronger. As a matter of fact, I've become a great secretary and a good example to other aspiring secretaries.
It took hard work and perseverance but I still scaled through thanks to the embarrassment and scoldings I got. Presently, the youth coordinator and I are very good friends. I learnt a lesson and also retained a good friendship.
With love, wongi 😊.
I'm glad you didn't feel so bad to the point that you refused being the secretary. Some people like myself would drop the position immediately after the critics. No jokes but you yielded to instruction and didn't mind after the embarrassment you still humbled yourself. Nice one
I did my dear.
It was a bumpy ride but still I had to take corrections and act accordingly.
It paid at the end.
Great then. That's really lovely
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