Awards & Recognition

Do you recall the last time you were awarded a trophy?
What about a bright shiny ribbon?
Have you ever received an engraved crystal goblet, or a silver platter?

I must have been in Elementary School the last time I got a trophy.
Not because I wasn't on a winning team,
but because softball league moved away from giving individual trophies to giving team trophies.
Perhaps it was the expense.
Perhaps it was because of people's attitude.

I distinctly recall a change in societies attitude from one of
recognizing the highest achievement to,
recognizing everyone regardless of their achievement.

When that shift was made, it became too expensive to give every player a trophy.
The players all got a ribbon instead.
But when you grow up getting a bright shiny new trophy to add to the trophy shelf,
some how a ribbon doesn't quite seem the same.

Growing up in a big family made for a big trophy shelf.
My dad had trophies for drag racing, bowling and softball.
All us kids had trophies from softball, baseball, basketball and such.
There were so many medals and ribbons awarded to my siblings for swimming that I couldn't begin to tell you how many they had.

I am probably the LEAST competitive member of my family.
And being recognized and awarded for doing well isn't something I seek.
I don't need much praise, nor am I one to look for a lot of 'pats on the back'.
But I do like to feel valued.

I like to feel as though I am appreciated for what I do.
I know I have blogged in the past about the lack of appreciation and value I receive as a mother.  Clearly there are no trophies, medals, or ribbons for making sure there is food on the table, clean clothes to wear, or for paying the bills.  And to be fair, I don't praise my kids often enough.  Mostly I get on to them to do their chores, clean their rooms, or pick up their shoes.
And I'm not necessarily advocating for more trophies, medals or ribbons for doing what one is supposed to do in their day to day life.

But as I found myself in Bardy Trophy & Supplies in Portland today,
I couldn't help but think back to the last time I received recognition,
appreciation or an award of any sort.

And then I remembered....

It was many years ago, at least 20 years because I recall I only had 4 children then.

We went to a party,
a "Support Wild Life" party, over Christmas break where they held a leg-wrestling competition.
And I won!
It was in the Heavy Weight Womens' division, but I won.
And it came with a nice sized trophy too.

The trophy sat on a shelf for a few years collecting its fair share of dust and dirt.
I don't know if it is still around in a left over box from our move 5 years ago,
in a Goodwill store,
or on someone else's shelf collecting dust.
But I do remember winning the trophy and how proud the kids were of it, even though they had no idea  what leg-wrestling competitions even were.

Maybe what I like about Awards and Recognition is the feeling that comes with working hard, achieving something, and having others appreciate your effort.

I guess I just have to learn to get that feeling without the trophy.
Because I hate dusting and would never win an award for cleanliness.

Right Matt!

















- Posted by DWNTWN