We have all experienced new beginnings. Fresh starts. Starting over. Rebuilding. Remodeling. Reworking. It’s just how we do life…sometimes we are grateful, other times not so much. Sometimes we look for it, sometimes it, finds us. This new beginning, my entrance into the blogging world, reminds me of my fresh start into the policing world.
I was a new RCMP member working in Ottawa. I was part of the RCMP’s “A” Division Traffic Section in the late 1980’s. We were responsible for patrolling the federal lands and parkways in the region.
While involved in my first check-stop for seatbelts, I encountered a man who became very upset with me. He was stunned that I was ticketing him for not wearing his seatbelt. I took his driving documents, walked back to my police car, wrote out his ticket and returned to his vehicle. Upon my approach, he rolled up his window, stared straight ahead and refused to acknowledge me, even when asked several times to roll down his window.
I stood there with absolutely no idea what to do…here I was a freshly trained Mountie, in my freshly pressed uniform, with all the skills I needed to be a police officer…or so I thought. The one thing I was missing, however, was real life experience. The kind you can’t get from a book or a training academy but have to learn through trial and error. I stood there feeling like a failure and so disappointed in myself. I was going to have to get the assistance of my trainer. This new beginning wasn’t going as I had planned.
My trainer took all of the documents from my hand, stood next to the driver’s side window and read the ticket in a very loud voice, to the driver. The driver continued to stare straight ahead. My trainer then took the ticket, the driver’s documents and placed them underneath his windshield wiper blade. He explained that this would ensure the documents wouldn’t blow away.
I couldn’t help but smile as I realized there was such a simple solution to the problem. I had been overthinking things and way too hard on myself. The driver became enraged as he realized the only way to retrieve his documents was to get out of his vehicle. We waited… and still he did not exit his car. He made the decision to drive away and we watched as his documents blew off the windshield one by one.
As I watched this scenario unfold in front of me, I realized how much I had to learn. I realized it is easy to turn a small issue into a big one. I realized I would feel stress and uncomfortable and unsure. I realized I would have to be patient with myself and I realized that asking for help was part of the process.
And now, over 30 years later, I find myself in a similar situation. As I start my blogging journey, I realize it will take time to adjust. I realize there is no need to turn little issues into big ones. I realize I will feel stress and uncomfortable and unsure. I realize I have to be patient with myself and that I will need support.
I have had many new beginnings over my lifetime and on many occasions, found myself getting tired of them. I didn’t think I wanted them anymore. What I now realize, is that we need new beginnings if we want to thrive. So perhaps, by reading my blog, you can consider this a new beginning for you too and together we can travel on this journey and see where it takes us.
Cynthia
