by P.L. Grove
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the various ways in which we make our voices heard. It’s not always about talking, or even writing. When I retired almost two years ago, I decided to delve into the world of social media.
P.L. Grove
National Board President
Certainly, a retiree would have copious amounts of time to devote to a Facebook account, I thought. Visiting with friends online and finding out what’s happening in the world sounded like a good idea. What I didn’t anticipate was the amount of “other” that occurs. People complain. A lot. About everything. And everyone. Basically, one can do no right in the world of social media. Thank goodness I do NOT have a Twitter account.
But this is not just a social media phenomenon. People in general are much more likely to tell someone if we don’t like something than if we’re pleased with a job well done. It’s easy to tell someone else what’s wrong and that something needs to be fixed. But how does that thing get fixed? Only if we make our voice heard.
People must know there is a problem. It takes someone strong enough to say something, and how it is said is important. We tune out and get tired of hearing whining. But a constructive comment goes a long way. Also, do you have a suggestion as to how the problem can be resolved? It’s a whole lot nicer to deliver the message to a neighbor that their fence is broken if you show up with wood, a work crew, and some paint to help fix it. And how about that work crew? We sometimes forget that people are the single most important resource. When we are commenting on things that need to happen, it’s never a bad thing to volunteer to help make them happen.
What does all this have to do with handbells? You may not have realized it, but in becoming a member of Handbell Musicians of America, you were making your voice heard about handbells. You wanted to gain access to the tools, events, and mentors that could help you grow in this instrument. You were making the statement that you wanted to improve your musicianship. So as a member, when is the last time you made your voice heard in the world of handbells? Was it by talking or writing? Social media? Perhaps you were complaining about a problem that needed fixing. Or when is the last time you volunteered to help in some way?
You may be thinking “that’s not my thing,” but there’s one thing everyone can do: vote. If you are a member of Handbell Musicians of America, you should vote. We have elections at the area level, and there is an election coming up at the national level. We all need to vote in these elections. Did you know that on average about 10-20% of our membership vote in our area elections? And just over 20% of our membership participated in the last national survey.
We can make our voices heard by participating. Participate in the upcoming national election. Participate the next time there is a survey. Participate when volunteers and leaders are solicited. You don’t have to have all the ideas, but you can still speak up by casting a vote and getting involved. For individuals to grumble, but not vote, is an imposition. So, go to the national website and review the candidates’ statements and the ballot, and then vote. Make your voice heard.
Certainly, a retiree would have copious amounts of time to devote to a Facebook account, I thought. Visiting with friends online and finding out what’s happening in the world sounded like a good idea. What I didn’t anticipate was the amount of “other” that occurs. People complain. A lot. About everything. And everyone. Basically, one can do no right in the world of social media. Thank goodness I do NOT have a Twitter account.
But this is not just a social media phenomenon. People in general are much more likely to tell someone if we don’t like something than if we’re pleased with a job well done. It’s easy to tell someone else what’s wrong and that something needs to be fixed. But how does that thing get fixed? Only if we make our voice heard.
People must know there is a problem. It takes someone strong enough to say something, and how it is said is important. We tune out and get tired of hearing whining. But a constructive comment goes a long way. Also, do you have a suggestion as to how the problem can be resolved? It’s a whole lot nicer to deliver the message to a neighbor that their fence is broken if you show up with wood, a work crew, and some paint to help fix it. And how about that work crew? We sometimes forget that people are the single most important resource. When we are commenting on things that need to happen, it’s never a bad thing to volunteer to help make them happen.
What does all this have to do with handbells? You may not have realized it, but in becoming a member of Handbell Musicians of America, you were making your voice heard about handbells. You wanted to gain access to the tools, events, and mentors that could help you grow in this instrument. You were making the statement that you wanted to improve your musicianship. So as a member, when is the last time you made your voice heard in the world of handbells? Was it by talking or writing? Social media? Perhaps you were complaining about a problem that needed fixing. Or when is the last time you volunteered to help in some way?
You may be thinking “that’s not my thing,” but there’s one thing everyone can do: vote. If you are a member of Handbell Musicians of America, you should vote. We have elections at the area level, and there is an election coming up at the national level. We all need to vote in these elections. Did you know that on average about 10-20% of our membership vote in our area elections? And just over 20% of our membership participated in the last national survey.
We can make our voices heard by participating. Participate in the upcoming national election. Participate the next time there is a survey. Participate when volunteers and leaders are solicited. You don’t have to have all the ideas, but you can still speak up by casting a vote and getting involved. For individuals to grumble, but not vote, is an imposition. So, go to the national website and review the candidates’ statements and the ballot, and then vote. Make your voice heard.
P.L. Grove
National Board President
