By Katie Patrick
Last week, my husband and I took turns driving our 3-year-old twin daughters – Keira and Saoirse – to Craoi na Tire Studio of Irish Dance in Omaha for a beginner’s summer dance camp.
Since March, the twins have been asking for Irish music to be played as they dance “jigs” and “reels” around the house, having seen the dancers perform at the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and at the Hooley, an annual celebration of Irish culture organized by the Omaha chapter of Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. If Riverdance comes to mind as you read this, you’re not far off.
Prior to watching the “recital” on the final day of a four-day camp where each day offered one hour of lessons, I would have easily concluded that the girls couldn’t have learned much, given that they each needed to use the bathroom at least three times during a 60-minute lesson and it was communicated to me on day three that one of them (nameless) was having a hard time following directions. Yes, we are in the belated days of potty-training with the only remaining barrier being a highly defiant daughter (nameless).
But beyond the mild stage fright, coupled with the excitement of mom and dad watching from the bleachers, Keira and Saoirse, holding the hand of their teenage instructors, smiled proudly and danced a jig.
That week, the girls made new friends and got to watch the older girls dance. They even received a Craoi na Tire t-shirt and pink-frosted donuts on the last day. They were in high spirits leaving the studio, perhaps, because they had just learned a new skill. It’s human nature to enjoy and be happy after learning something new. It was amazing to see how much they’d (surprisingly) learned in such a short time, but clearly they had good teachers.
In adulthood, so many of the skills we have acquired in life come from having been taught by parents, teachers, coaches, or mentors. I’d also say that whatever it was being taught to us, whether it was dance, math, hunting, piano, reading or writing, the soft skills accompanied the hard skills. “You can do it.” “Try again.” “That’s okay, if you keep practicing, you will do better next time.” The kindness, encouragement, perseverance, and constancy.
Can you recall those feelings and hear those words being said from someone who once taught you? Now imagine that skill you were taught and remove the individual who taught you. Would you have learned it? Could someone else have stepped in? If so, what would your experience have been? Every day, at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, we meet individuals who, for one reason or another, never had anyone teach them many of the life lessons so many of us take for granted. Balancing a checkbook, or ensuring medical appointments and preventative treatments are taken care of may seem so routine, but to many of our clients, no one taught them.
Keira and Saoirse are learning Irish dance early in life, but it’s never too late to learn any skill. When we recognize that a client may not have ever had the chance to learn the important life skills we take for granted, CSS offers resources and staff that act ever so much like the teachers who can explain what is needed to a 3-year-old, or a 30-year-old.
When Connie called our office from the hospital, she was leaving an extended stay and returning home to a possible eviction, and no job. She called asking for rental assistance to avoid the eviction, but she received so much more.
One of our requirements for financial assistance is that clients need to write out their monthly budget. For many, this is the first time they’ve ever done such a thing. After Connie wrote her budget, we helped her identify some expenses that she could eliminate. We were able to provide her with food and show her other local resources so that she could divert some of the money she regularly spent on food to her upcoming utility bill. We referred her to the American Jobs Center so she could receive assistance in her job search, though we also provided a few websites and names of places we know are hiring. Connie was invited to breakfast and lunch served five days a week at CSS, to help with savings in her budget. Our food market is set up as a client-choice model and clients are accompanied by volunteers as they shop where we can share healthy recipes using minimal and low-cost ingredients.
Connie was ultimately able to obtain a new apartment, and a few months later, she cleaned out her new apartment and donated several boxes of clothes and items she no longer needed. This act of charity gave Connie the opportunity to give back to those who helped her during her time in need. She gave back to the mission and the people who taught her the importance of managing your household budget and how to access local resources during times of hardship. But ultimately, Connie encountered CSS staff who recognized her dignity and, among other things, taught her to hope.
