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August 26, 2021

Encouragement Folder

By Barry Rudesill

Before we get started, let me update everyone on recent life. My (Barry) Facebook account got hacked and I suddenly ended up being a cool Latino guy with an AWESOME mustache! After fighting with Facebook to convince them that wasn’t me, I created a new account, deleted my old one, and started over. I’m not sure I recovered all of my friends, though, so if you were my friend – or you’d like to be friends with me! – be sure to “Friend Request” me! On the bright side, after about three weeks or so of frustration, I’m “me” again, at least according to Facebook…

Today, with all of that behind me, I sat down to clean up some of the accumulated paperwork that piles up over the Summer months around here. (Summer Camp tends to do that!) As I was sorting through receipts, program notes, and more, I found the letter I attached with this post.

This young man was in the Day Camp week that I ran and, at the end of the day, when we were waiting for parents to come and pick up their children, I pulled out some illusions and entertained them. Sometimes I had a small crowd, sometimes it was just this one camper. It didn’t matter to me, because I enjoy watching people’s eyes light up when they see a trick.

To me, it was a small thing; just a way to fill time. To this young man, it mattered enough that he wrote me a letter to thank me! On paper! (I didn’t even know people still sent paper messages to other people nowadays!) And, because I’m grateful for the time he spent, this letter is going someplace special.

In my filing cabinet, tucked behind all of our Trek notes, research, film scripts, and more, there is a battered old folder simply labeled “Encouragement”. If you came to my house and pulled it out, you would find letters, pictures, drawings, and even some small craft projects. All of these are pieces given to me by people who felt I had made a difference in their lives.

When I get tired, when I get stressed, or when I get down – and yes, even if you’re doing The Trek correctly, you can still have a down day! – I sit downstairs, turn on the Christmas music and Christmas lights – why yes, I DO keep Christmas lights up year-round in my office (don’t judge me!) – and I pull out that folder.

I take the time to read through the letters and to try to remember the circumstances or the people. For some, it was because I taught them something they thought was cool as part of our Environmental Education programs; others just thanked me for listening; and still others, like this letter, were from moments that I did something that was small – to me – but that apparently had a big impact on them. I even have some Trek stories that were sent to me personally, not to The Trek, and I love to read about how a project I’m involved with is changing lives. When I’m down, it’s encouraging to me to see that I have been making a difference, even if it’s only sharing some illusions at the end of a long day.

If you haven’t started an “Encouragement Folder”, I would like to encourage you to! (I really DID try to find another way to word that last sentence…) In that folder, put thank you notes from others, emails with happy moments or kind words, even memories and mementos. Anything that will help remind you of good times and can cheer you up when you read them. Then, the next time you need a “pick me up”, sit down and read your folder!

But, before we walk away from this topic, there are two things that I need to say:

First, while saving emails is great; having paper copies is better! I know in this digital age, people store things like this on phones, tablets, computers, etc. While it makes it more “convenient” to do this, there’s no effort. The goal of an “Encouragement Folder” is to take the time, slow down, refocus our thoughts, and review where we’ve been; not flick through a bunch of scanned images as we’re waiting in line at the grocery store.

Second, if you’ve started one – or if you’re going to start one now – why not take a moment today and invest in someone else’s “Encouragement Folder”? Take a moment, buy some “Thank You” cards, and send a message to someone who has made a difference in your life. Who knows? Maybe your words of encouragement are the message they need to hear today!

As always, we hope you enjoy the journey!

- The Trek

August 26, 2021

Encouragement Folder

By Barry Rudesill

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