It doesn't matter what profession you are in. You learn and grow as a professional from gathering with like minds.
The first weekend in March, I did just that by attended the regional meeting for ALHFAM. (That translates to Association of Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums.) It is an organization that I belonged to many years ago when I was active in living history. As I will be going back to that endeavor this spring, I thought it would be wise to reconnect with this fantastic organization.
When you are "doing" your job, you can sometimes feel like no one outside your little world understands what your job entails. Maybe it's the hours you work. Maybe it's conditions you work in. Maybe it's the skill-set necessary to excel at your job. Whatever the case, that's an easy trap to fall in to. That's why these gatherings are good for the soul. You connect with folks you've never met before. You discover that you're not the only one who gets bugged by teachers who bring their charges to your museum, only to end up as the disruptors on your school tour! (Think chatting or texting on their cellphones when everyone was asked to turn them off!)
How about finding if there's a better way to make your interpretation more lively/informative/interesting?
For someone in my field, it's a blessing.
To spend a few days learning from each other, or teaching new skills, refuels the soul. It allows a person to reaffirm their reason for their chosen profession.
Of course, in my profession, there are perks that go along with these gatherings. The folks who spent two days making cheese, shared their finished products with everyone. People who made maple syrup had some delightful treats to take home. Living history folks are great believers in "make & take" workshops! For that, we are all grateful!
Everyone needs a reaffirmation of what they do for a living. If you're a mechanic, finding and fixing that "clinky whining noise" that your customer hears reaffirms what you do. Watching a student have an aha moment when they get the concept you're teaching reaffirms what you do. Having a patient tell you they feel better than they have in years reaffirms what you do.
For me, watching a visitor understand how history shapes our life makes me appreciate what I do!
No matter what you do for a living, you are not alone! Find folks of a like mind. Learn and grow from each other. Everyone will be better for it in the long run!
