Originally published by Barbara Meinke, Area 12 Communications Director, in the The Twelfth Tone
[Editor’s Note: Please note that portions of this article have been updated to reflect the contacts of Area 9 instead of Area 12. Those portions have been reflected in brackets or with an ellipsis.]
My job on the Area 12 board is to facilitate communication. As musicians, we communicate feelings, emotions and experiences through our music. Most of us are pretty good at that! But what about communicating our desires, needs, and frustrations?
I like to keep things positive. Desires, needs and frustrations are hard to communicate in the positive! But if things are not going the way I’d like, or I’m not getting what I need, or the process or people are frustrating me too much, then what? Bow out? Blow up? Storm off?
Many times the best thing is to SAY SO! Communicate! Speak the truth in love. Share your desires…someone else probably has them too! Ask for what you need…someone else has it to share or is willing to help you get it. Share your frustration…someone else has probably experienced the same thing and we can’t fix things we don’t know are broken! Area [9] board members WANT to help you fulfill your handbell desires, get what you need to succeed, and not be too frustrated trying! But we need you to SAY SO!
TRULY.
[We] communicate with you every month through [our] newsletter…. Not getting what you desire or need? Please contact [us]. Have a frustration…,…ask [a] board member to [help].
In sharing our desires, needs, and frustrations, we can build a stronger Guild, offer more relevant events, and share more feelings, emotions, and experiences through our music making.
We’re listening…
