Boomerangs...

Well, it's a wet (rainy) Wednesday! Ugh. More snow/ice due tonight into tomorrow morning but I guess that's New England for you!
I'm sure the title of this entry seems odd...
Boomerangs are things (Australian things) that you toss into the air and they come back to you. My topic is on those folks who leave "J" for some reason and then return. "Boomerangs" if you will...
In the last week, we have had 3 people return to class after many years (4 in 2 cases) away. It was *so* good to see them all and have them back in class, smiling and enjoying our program. All three, in fact, started in K's morning classes and have transitioned back to working full time (or part time) now that their kids are grown and now will attend nights and weekends. Clearly, they formed a love for our Center and staff in those morning classes, remembered it and decided to return.
This means the world to K and me. Why? Well, while we love having newbies come in the door (folks who've never done "J" before), having folks return after an absence is even better. Again you may ask, why?
When people are here we try and make them feel special and important because, frankly, they are! The customers make the classes and, obviously, we wouldn't be here 14 years later without each and every one! When someone leaves class it's kind of a big downer. But, we do understand things happen. Financial things, life things, medical things, moves...or even a need for something new. When they let us know they have to go, we do our level best to let them go graciously, get any feedback we can to better our business, and tell them (because it's true) they are always welcome here and that we hope to see them again.
2 of the ladies who returned this week are friends and returned together in my class over the weekend. D and T are always smiling and I remember them from K's classes...they are fun, funny ladies and, when I saw them, I was so happy! They danced in my class with their smiles and laughter and after class they gave us one of our greatest compliments "We were back there today wondering why we ever left?!" That hit me right in the heart...AWESOME! I just silently thanked God and told them "Well, we're glad to have you back now and that's all that matters!"
The 3rd person has always been special to me. J danced in classes with all our instructors (but primarily in the AM with K) for years-5-6x per week. Then, we didn't see her for a week. Then a month, then a year. She was dedicated and then...nothing. I was stumped. When her CC came up for expiration and I called her she gave me the new date and said "Keep my account going". When locker payments were due-she sent hers in with a note "Please don't throw me out of my locker." I tacked that up on the board and left it there. Another year went by...next locker payment due and I called this time. We chatted...she was happy and fine and I was so glad to chat with her...it was great. She told me it was finally time to return and I'd see her that week. True to her word (as always-that's what I love about her) she was in K's class 2x that week and showed up in mine last night. How did I feel? J O Y! I was about to start class but jumped down to hug her.
During class she told me I was still 'on my game' with my cueing and tips (And, you know...that was so good to hear. It's always good to know you still 'got it' from someone who hasn't seen you in a long while.) and after class she told me she was already starting to feel muscles coming back! (She looks great by the way...) Having her special 'light' in class was so awesome for me. Every one of our customers has a special 'light' and hers had been missing...
I guess, overall, it's just nice to know that we are doing what we set out to do when we started this thing. We wanted a place where folks felt welcomed and happy and where they could also get a kick butt workout. K and I travelled around to so many locations when I was in training and saw things both good and not so good that we wanted to emulate or eliminate from our own Center...such good lessons learned and we reap the benefits now.
And, you know...that was all K's idea. I just followed along. The whole time we were travelling around and taking class (or her teaching class), she was teaching and showing me what *to* and what *not* to do. So my hat's off to her for having that foresight I didn't even know we needed!
So, even though it's rainy and yucky today...I feel like the sun shines in here-thanks to all our customers: new ones, veteran ones and our 'boomerangs'!