"Your success is directly proportional to the number of lives you have changed for the better"-Vishwas Chavan
Today, we are encouraged to embrace digitization as we face the new normal and as an HR practitioner, I am wondering, will this affect how we put the human touch in the way we do HR and in face-to-face communication? More than ever, our times have compelled us to innovate and change our perspectives, our mindset and our lives. The webinars I have been blessed to attend speak so much about transformation, impact, influence, resilience and so on.
My past experiences—all the good and the bad-- that shape who I am today, make me strong in my conviction that before we attempt to change lives, we have to start with the focus of touching lives. Let me tell you a story.
When I was working in the hotel industry as one of its Senior HR Officers, one of our Engineering Supervisors passed away. He was one of those silent hardworking team members who lets their work speak about them. At that time, we asked for donations and sent flowers. I thought that was enough to show our condolences. And then we decided to visit the family during the wake. Their house was located in a mountainous area and walking towards at night was challenging. Thus, the family was very appreciative to see us as they didn’t expect we would visit.
It was awkward at first as I didn’t know what to say. I felt like whatever I say would not mean a thing. But I saw the widow in deep thought and eventually, she saw me looking at her. I smiled at her and she shyly smiled back. I got up from my chair and approached her and told her about how her husband was at work. I asked her if he was the same at home. Then, she started talking with a smile on her face, about the kind of father he was, how their love story started, etc. I witnessed how her face lit up when she talked about him. At one point of our talk, I looked at her kids and I boldly asked her how she would raise them. Her face was filled with worry when I asked this and she shared that she has no idea what to do, especially in sending them to school. She was even planning to do laundry for other people, etc.. I said I was sorry, and I may have inserted some “God will make a way” advice. I know that while this is always, always true, I have learned that there is also a certain time to talk about these things for the receiver to be able to absorb the message better. In this case, I didn’t know if I said that prematurely but then, I also didn’t know that His way of reaching out to her was through me and my profession.
Weeks later, as the hotel was expanding, I was looking for Housekeeping Personnel. Naturally, the department wanted those that had relevant experiences. I remembered the widow but was hesitant because she had no previous experiences. I talked with the Housekeeping Head and asked if she would consider a housewife for an applicant. Anyway, my stand was she was exposed to the basics of housekeeping which was household chores and for me, that’s enough experience as she will be trained anyway. Luckily, the Housekeeping Head agreed to interview her.
By God's grace, she was hired, trained to do her tasks and almost a decade later, I am happy to know that she is still working at the same hotel, and her kids have grown up and are continuing their education. When I resigned at that time (tough times as I had to face some personal challenges), she was one of the few who really expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and for giving her a break. She said she was happy and it was evident in the sincere smiles every time I see her.
I can’t help but be amazed that it all started with just one sincere conversation and spending a few minutes of really reaching out. Before that moment, I never really knew her. That one conversation showed that she was a remarkable woman. She showed me that life continues to flourish, even in the darkest moments of our lives, when we decide to let God in through His many instruments. I do not want to think that it was only her who was touched by this experience, but to be honest, she also enriched mine as well.
I am not writing this to raise my own chair and tell you that the turn of her life's events was my own doing. I’d like to believe what she said, that I have touched her life at that moment and that I was just an instrument. This wasn’t the only story. I have several on my sleeves; some of them were of me being given opportunities from friends and from strangers, things that paved way for growth and maturity. When I became a widow myself years later, I recall those people also who really took the effort to converse with me and let me talk about my husband, and my fears. My memories were hazy but I can pinpoint some people who really touched my life then and now. I marvel at how God uses the most mysterious of instruments to shape us for the better. He molds us through our experiences, our pain, our mishaps. He lets us know that we are not alone through the different people we encounter.
I am privileged to be in a profession where I am given lots of opportunities to touch lives. And I say this to my fellow HR practitioners that we should not just view our jobs as just mere jobs but as a calling to touch people’s lives and let them feel and live their purpose, their gifts, for them to actualize the great persons that they are as God made them. Much as this is a privilege to us, I know that it doesn’t take a certain profession or degree or status to do this.
What I am trying to say is that we all have the ability and the gift to touch other people’s lives every day. It is up to us what we do with that gift.
You don’t have to be rich (to be my girl… Sorry, Prince on my mind while writing this.. continue..) or have too much to be able to reach out and give. Meaningful giving has very little to do with how much you have but it has a lot to do with the passion, the motivation, the effort, the emotion you put into it. What touches the lives of others is not the bulk of the item nor the price but the self-giving behind the item.
Do not wait for great or more resources to come along. Open your heart and your eyes to God's blessings because regardless of no employment or the social distancing or whatever limitations you have, He has never left you empty. Be creative and do something with what you currently have. If you recall the biblical story about a widow who offered so little (Matthew 14:38), Jesus was touched not by the amount given by the woman but because she gave everything she had. Because of community quarantine controls I see so much levels of generosity all around!
- There was a group in FB who barters blood donations for kind deeds;
- That pizza delivery guy who saves his tips to buy bread for the homeless;
- I bought burgers online and the seller who also happens to be the founder of PADS (Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc), to my delight and surprise, added extra sauce on my burger, without me requesting for it. It was sooo good btw, follow them—Dubby’sUltimate Burgers. They also help out former PADS members (international winning cross-disability dragonboat racing champions composed of PWDs). I have to mention their delivery guy, Gab (member of PADS) will lift your spirits up with his smiles and optimistic spirit;
- A security guard who spends P100 a day to feed stray dogs;
- A very good friend who adopted my St Bernard dog, Schnickers (dad was allergic and we had to transfer houses) sending me pictures of him (Schnick is so happy and well-loved, my heart is full). Thanks Bayjay!
- random texts, chats, videochats with my best friend, close friends, etc just to check up on me
- Simon Sinek, one of those I really look up to, has a Pay as You Can sets of online training and he talks about emotional and mental health, etc. The Pay As You Can is a voluntary contribution for the team working behind the presentations, etc.
- An online group called HRparaSaHR (HR for HR) was created by my good friend, Bhobby Nacorda in the midst of the pandemic, as an online support community for HR practitioners and People Leaders (who, I describe are the back-end frontliners, and that's an understatement).
- Bo Sanchez' Full Tank episodes. God bless you Bro. Bo for your daily inspirations.
- Personally in our family, we give out surprises and gifts through online deliveries. My siblings recently sent us several gifts-- groceries, boxes of junk food (coz my Mom loves them), milk tea, ice cream and pizza;
- I get to take care of my 94-year-old beautiful grandma and we have our routine already-- giving her a bath in the morning after breakfast, putting on moisturizer on her face, rest in my room after lunch while I do work, chitchat after praying, putting on moisturizer and powder on her face before sleeping, letting her drink milk and putting her to bed. I have never felt so much closer to her in all the years I have been growing up and I thank God for this privilege to be with my beautiful Mama.
- We also have our nightly rosary conferences and then have our family video chats after. What irony that we are closer as a family as ever, even when we are apart;
- Action Group Meetings with my Catholic Group community, we share our challenges and uplift each other through prayers.
And these are only a few stories, there are just so much more. Open your eyes to the outpouring of generosity and self-sacrifice in the midst of this pandemic. God reigns in each and every one of us.
You’d want to help? You want to change lives? Start by touching lives-- one small touch of kindness at a time. In the end, you will just be in awe that that small touch of kindness will create a ripple and has caused a wave of change more than you can dream of, including the biggest change there is--- the better person that you’ve become in the process.
Keep safe and keep the faith, my sheepmates.
For it is in giving that we receive
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