Walking a mile in an assistant's shoes

Recently, this newspaper held an in-office contest as part of a Relay for Life fund-raiser.

Available to the highest bidder was the opportunity to have Publisher Harlan Beagley take on the duties of assistant for one day.

Alas and alack, I was not the highest bidder, although hopes were high and checkbooks were dusted off with eager anticipation.

I like things like this, or when political representatives auction off themselves for several hours of work at charity events and functions.

Perhaps it dates back to a college-age inkling I have — how much fun it would have been to adopt a college professor for a day, taking them to classes not taught by them, talking over coffee and let them try the food offered in the campus cafeterias.

I would have hoped for a day they were serving catfish nuggets, by the by.

The natural, mischievous inclination is to abuse the opportunity, such as sending the hapless volunteer on umpteen coffee runs (at their expense, of course), or finally cleaning out the garage after decades of neglect, or finally getting a wash for the car.

When both the new assistant and the new assistant gainer are open to the experience and willing, it can be an opportunity for much more. And such tasks are better suited for younger siblings, in any event.

As the cliche says, we can never truly know someone until walking great distances in their footwear.

Volunteering to assume assistant duties for a duration of time is an excellent first step.

I think it's something which should be required of anyone in a position of some power, be it political, work-related or celebrity status: Take a few hours to spend time in the lives of everyday people who might be represented, employed or just a really big fan.

See how they live, what is important in their lives, the tiny moments which comprise who they are and how they have come to be the people they are.

It might impact the decisions one makes in the future. At the very least, they would be better informed. It's never possible to have too much information.

For the people receiving such an opportunity, throw open the doors of your life and put everything on display. Go back to elementary school logic with show and tell. Show who you are. Tell why you've turned out the way you have.

It's important for both sides to be open and without judgment during this glimpse into a brand-new world.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to play host to one of my favorite college professors as he was in the area. We ate at a local restaurant and drove around Grant County, giving him his first real look around.

I think we both offered a look at how we lived, what we did — who we actually were and how we were doing since circumstances first put us together back in school.

I'm happy to report it was just as much fun as I long suspected it would be.