By Carrie Griffin, CCPC Treasurer
"There was a farmer who grew excellent quality wheat and every season he won the award for the best grown in his county. One year a reporter from the local newspaper interviewed the farmer and learned that each Spring the man shared his seed with his neighbors so that they too could plant it in their fields.
“How can you afford to share your best wheat seed with your neighbors when they are entering their crops in the competition with yours?" the reporter asked.
“Why that's very simple,” the farmer explained. "The wind picks up pollen from the developing wheat and carries it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior wheat, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of all the wheat, including mine. If I am to grow good wheat, I must help my neighbors grow good wheat."
The reporter realized how the farmer's explanation also applied to peoples' lives in the most fundamental way. Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all."
(Credit: P.G. Gregory, February 8, 2019)
When I read this story, it truly resonated in my heart. I serve on the board of the Child Care Providers Coalition of Kansas, and when describing my role, to me it's important to use the word serve. The definition of the word serve is "to be of use; to answer a purpose." CCPC's purpose is to support and inspire the amazing providers in our state, and to advocate for our unique position as caregivers, teachers, and business owners.
When I read the story of the farmer who increased the quality of his neighbor's fields, I can't help but see the parallel to what we do in our organization. Every CCPC board member is a child care provider, each striving for the highest quality in our own programs. We care so deeply for the children and families we serve, as well as for our profession, that we each feel the call to lift up other providers and help them in any way that we can. In our field, helping other providers grow as professionals and attain higher quality can only benefit the entire landscape of child care in Kansas.
We hope you'll join us as a member to raise our collective voices to celebrate family child care and cross-pollinate quality across the state!
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