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Thanks to June Vining in our
Portland/Vancouver Affiliate, I received a very nice TIP T-shirt
and TIP water bottle recently. On the water bottle read: "Cool
Minds Warm Hearts." I think that phrase is an excellent
description of TIP volunteers. Obviously, each TIP volunteer is
a unique individual. However, what our volunteers have in common
is that they all possess cool minds and warm hearts. In other
words, they can all think clearly in intense high pressure
situations (something our clients need because they usually
can't think clearly), and at the same time, they can convey the
kindness and compassion that our clients need. I believe a major
reason TIP volunteers are hard to find (just ask any TIP
affiliate manager), is that most of us are lacking either the
"cool mind" trait or the "warm heart" trait. To be a TIP
volunteer, one needs both in good measure.
In thinking about the
characteristics individuals must have to be a TIP volunteer, I
realized there is another essential characteristic in addition
to cool minds and warm hearts.....Courage. TIP
volunteers need courage. Why? Because going into unknown and
emotionally fiery situations can be scary, and most volunteers
(especially new volunteers) have a certain amount of fear.
As one new volunteer put it to me recently: "I was shaking in
my boots on the way to my first call." Obviously, fear is
not what makes TIP volunteers courageous. It's the willingness
to act in spite of the fear, the willingness to "do it anyway."
TIP volunteers don't let fear get in the way of helping others
in trouble. I believe that the willingness of TIP volunteers to
help others even when they are afraid, is every bit as courageous
as the courage shown by our police officer/firefighter partners.
Just about everyone I know thinks
TIP is a "great idea," but few can put the idea into action. I
believe the primary reason is fear. Of course, most people
don't say "I'm too afraid" to volunteer. They say "I'm
too busy" or "I have other commitments." But I
suspect in many cases, behind the reasons for not volunteering
lurks....fear.
I certainly don't want to fiddle
with the elegant phrase "Cool Minds Warm Hearts," but if I did
include courage in that phrase to describe TIP volunteers it
would read . . ."Cool Minds Warm Hearts Steely Spines."
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