April 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 6

perspecti
D E PA RTM Eves
NT

A Message from NRPA's Leaders

Change Your Shoes,
Change Your Perspective

arrison, my 2-year-old great nephew, attended his first ice hockey game.

After watching the movements on the ice, he asked, " Where are their shoes? "
He could tell they weren't walking and their " shoes " weren't really touching
the ice, but he couldn't see exactly how they were able to move like that.

His parents began explaining the concept of
blades, skates, and gliding. As they were making
their best effort, you could just see his two-year old
brain processing and learning about this new way
of movement. Harrison thought that crawling, walking, and running were all there was to do. Life, as
he knew it, was expanding and changing quickly in
front of him.
I thought of all the different " shoes " I have used
over the years, and how each one allows for different types of movement, activity, or purpose. Yesterday, for example, I put on swim fins for part of my
morning swim, flip-flops to the shower, dress shoes
for work, hiking boots to check some flooded park
areas, walking shoes after work, and finally slippers
for relaxing. Each change of shoes prepared me for
the task ahead and provided a totally different perspective or attitude adjustment.
Putting on the right footwear for the activity-
skates, ski boots, snow shoes, rollerblades, water
shoes, bike shoes with toe clips, heels or flats, boots
or dancing shoes-enables us to perform the task
at hand. Some parks and recreation facilities post
signs indicating the proper shoes needed for participation. Many of us have been embarrassed because we had the " wrong " shoes for the occasion.

Some have to sit on the sidelines simply because of
the shoes they chose.
To walk in another person's shoes, one has to put
one's own needs aside, and truly understand where
that person has been and where he or she is going.
By figuratively trying on that person's shoes, one enters into a different perspective and a different life
experience. The best part is that another's shoes do
not cost anything to try on, yet it could be quite rewarding in the end.
Fortunately, as leaders in this field, we assist others in providing places and programs that change
lives, with the right change of shoes. Unfortunately,
as leaders in this field, we do not always take the time
to change our own shoes and learn a new activity or
start a new adventure. So now it is time for each of us
to try on a new pair of shoes, and therefore try something different. Let each of us set the example to get
out and get moving-you know, just do it!
We can't be two years old again, but we can still
be amazed at so many opportunities when we get
out of our comfort zones and into a change of shoes.
The challenge is on: What shoes will you change this
year? Whose shoes will you choose to walk in? Share
your choices at www.NRPAconnect.org.
Change your shoes, change your perspective.

Dianne Hoover
President

Parks & Recreation

APRIL 2011

www.NRPA .ORG

April 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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