No End Of The Road

“You’ll never see the end of the road when you’re travelling with me.” 

- Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” 

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I was reintroduced to the song above recently, and a line jumped out at me that I hadn’t really noticed before. The idea that “You’ll never see the end of the road when you’re travelling with me” really resonates with me, both in my personal life and in my work experience.

I won’t bore you with the personal stuff, so let me talk a little about the work part.

One thing that I have always appreciated about Imagine! is the number of people who have worked here, are working here now, and who I have no doubt will continue to work here who are never satisfied with the status quo. They are always looking two or three steps ahead to see what can be done better or more efficiently.

I wish I knew exactly how this very distinct aspect of Imagine!’s culture came to be. It may be a result of a highly educated staff. It may be the result of being part of a community that has always prided itself on being different and ahead of the curve in its thinking. But whatever the reason, the results are undeniable. Imagine! stands out locally, state-wide, nationally, and even internationally as an innovative leader in providing services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Because of this culture at Imagine!, nobody here ever expects to see the end of the road as we continually move forward. Of course, we establish sign posts and move toward those, but they are only temporary stops. We are always exploring, and the path we are traveling twists and turns, and then there are side roads to discover. We don’t want to “arrive” – because then what? There is always something else that can be learned from the continual move forward. Stasis equals stagnation. If we think we’re “there,” then we will miss what’s next.

So today I’d just like to offer a simple “thanks” to my co-workers, or more appropriately, my co-travelers at Imagine!. Thank you for letting me explore with you. Thank you for blazing trails. Thank you for learning every step of the way, and for sharing what you’ve learned with others. I hope to travel with you for many more years, and I hope we never arrive . . . together.

Then again, what do I know?