Bev Eredia shares her Y experience of the past two years. Bev currently serves as the Senior Aquatics Director at the Mel Korum Family Y.
Pre-2020, I remember Stephanie Roberts shared that one of our Y mottos was that the only trend we needed to get used to was change. Although that was true then, it has taken on an entirely new meaning since 2020. Truth be told, change is something that can be unsteadying for me sometimes, and even though I am becoming begrudgingly more fluid with the process, my attempts at stabilizing while riding the waves are a bit shaky, and it is why I am so grateful for those who are there to help me find balance physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The transition from pre-COVID to restarting in September meant changing departments for me, from youth back to aquatics. Although very familiar, re-entering the team offered some new challenges as I had been out of the water for four years. Sandi Rose was a great partner to begin the new aquatic adventure with and we were blessed with a fantastic part-time team who showed courage and care in taking these first steps back into the fray. A collective “we” worked to reinvent the programs a bit differently as fast as the changes were coming, utilizing our team's shared imagination and willingness to try new things. Thank you!
The ebbs and flows of this pandemic have been daunting at times, and I think that is why I treasure those times of celebration, such as my daughter’s wedding, my mom’s 91st birthday, and all the intimate family holidays. These events mean more to me now than ever before. My family has always been a grounding force in my life and they have been instrumental in keeping my sanity throughout this trying time.
There is a movie that perhaps is too old for some of you to remember called Babe. The lyrics of the final song touch a place in my heart: “A kind and steady heart can conquer doubt and fear. A little courage goes a long, long, way. Gets you a little bit further down the road each day. And before you know it, you’ll hear someone say, That’ll do, Babe, that’ll do."