The Rivets of Partnership

Chapter Five

The Rivets of Partnership

There were reportedly 3 million rivets that held the Titanic together. There were many partnerships that built the Titanic; partnerships between ship designers, ship builders, mechanics, laborers and more. What caused the Titanic to sink and cause many people to die? Was it one rivet or 3 million rivets?

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 9

A rivet is a very small piece of metal that is designed to fasten two pieces of metal together. The rivet is composed of various materials that affect its quality and strength in the fastening process. There are some folks who point to the rivets as the reasons for the Titanic's demise. I'm not an expert in Titanic history. There were many elements that came together in partnership to cause the luxury liner to plummet to the ocean's floor. We'll examine a few more of those cataclysmic causes in a few minutes, for now let's rivet our attention on small things.

In a Mentoring Partnership, everything you do has the potential to cause your Mentee to become riveted upon your actions. The smallest kink in your character armor can sink the soul of a young person. Your actions can become excuses for their immoral behavior. Children do not come into the world with prejudice. Bigotry, racism, and hard hardheartedness are developed through relationships. Do you have any bad habits that could become destructive contagions in a child's character? Examine yourself thoroughly and repeatedly.

You are the riveting gun, your words and actions are the rivets, and your Mentee is the metal. Your goal is to seal and protect the character growth of the person you are Mentoring. The wrong rivet, riveting tool or placement of the rivet can dent or damage the metal. Small dents can cause big damage and weaken the integrity of the vessel. Your student becomes the vessel of your moral integrity as you reveal it through your actions.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 10

The importance of communication can never be overstated. On the night the Titanic sank, her radio operators sent out distress signals. They were hoping that someone would hear of their plight and come to the rescue. A radio operator on the RMS Carpathia missed several distress signals because he had left the radio room and was up on deck. When he finally radioed the Titanic back, he was informed of their disaster. He awakened his captain who set a course full speed for the last reported location of the Titanic. When they arrived on the scene, the Titanic had already sunk 2 hours earlier. They eventually rescued 705 passengers. The radio operator apparently did nothing wrong by leaving his post. That seems to be the normal protocol for that time period. The radio operators from both the doomed ship and the rescue ship needed a partnership in communication. That delay most likely caused more people to perish.

The list of contributing factors to the demise of the Titanic is a long one. The rivets and the dots and dashes of an SOS may be small yet they are highly influential. The influence you have over someone who trusts you is powerful. As a Mentor, you will form partnerships with many people and organizations. Go slowly; help your Mentee build a strong character that can withstand destructive partnerships.

A seed begins life in partnership with the soil. The seed and soil expand their partnership to include the sun and the rain. Included in their partnership is the four seasons. One day, the seed stands tall as a tree and provides a partnership with creatures; great and small. Your great task as a Mentor is to teach small lessons and plant seeds. Provide an environment that nourishes growth. Here is the "Four Season Partnership:"

1. Fall - Let go. Forgive.
2. Winter - Rest. Reflect.
3. Spring - Plan. Prepare.
4. Summer - Celebrate. Joy.