Passing on what you know

Anyone who has read me the past year has learned that I have had a steep learning curve with DS1 down in the US for hockey and college. Most of what I learned, I did through multiple costly phone calls (where are the 1 800 numbers??), often with conflicting information.

I had a couple people I could ask questions of, but most of it was learned on our own.

I was surprised Friday (and again today) to get a phone call from some folks we used to play hockey with a few years ago. I saw at lunch that the dad had called my cell four times between 9 and noon. When I called him back he said "you didn't answer your phone?"   Hello...I am teaching and don't have my phone on then, like many of you at work. Always surprises me how many people don't think of this.

Anyways, their son has been asked to join a Div 3 hockey team in Wisconsin and they had a boatload of questions about the whole process.

I can't tell you how good it felt to actually know answers and be able to pass on what we have learned, often the hard way.  Their main questions were about finances, choosing classes, health care and how do they know if the fit is the right fit.

My best advice for them  was to get a small notebook so they could document who all they talk to, their direct phone numbers and what they have learned.  I said the learning curve is a tough one that first year but after that it should be much smoother sailing. 

It felt GOOD to know some of the answers. Knowledge is empowering :-)

Much the same way I feel when I read your blogs or you comment on mine. I always learn more or new things, or a different perspective. I can then take that info and figure out how it applies to me.

Thanks everyone, for being part of my journey.