As some of you may know, I am a huge proponent of performing community service, most notably with civic and non-profit organizations, although I also work with the schools whenever I can. While I generally stay relatively busy, I always have time to squeeze in additional time to help those in need. It is something that gives me great pleasure and allows me to solidify friendships that I would have otherwise never had the opportunity to experience.
To understand what I mean, all you need do is look at a recent snapshot of my schedule. On Friday, besides the 9 hours I spent in the office, I also spent 7 hours volunteering for Kiwanis, on Saturday, while I didn’t have to work in the office, I did spend 8 hours at the American Legion. Monday was the slow day. After 9 hours in the office, it was off to the school to volunteer for 5 hours. Today, being election day, I found myself delivering folks to the polls so they may have an opportunity to cast their ballot in this historic election. I also spent an hour with Kiwanis and have another 5 hours of service scheduled for this evening. The rest of the week is relatively the same, 9 hours in the office, and 5 hours with the school, except on Thursday, that will grow to 7 hours at the school. Finally, on Friday am working with Columbia County Resources at our local fairgrounds to ensure everything goes smoothly. Hopefully on Saturday I will have time to devote to some work around the house.
If I were to tally my hours of service to others, I would probably reach 1000 hours of service per year. That is about 2 3/4 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Many people don’t work that many hours a year on a job they are being paid for, much less at a task they are not being paid to complete. So the question is, “Why do I do it?” The reason is simple, and after some soul searching, I believe I have an answer. It may be suprising, it was when I discovered it, and it might lead to a better understanding of why you may or may not engage in volunteer service.
I am a firm believer that in everything we do, we do it for personal benefit. If you don’t believe this, then perhaps you should forget you read my thoughts. If you are ready to have your eyes opened, and truly wish to understand your own humanity, then perhaps you can try to absorb the concept without preconception. In a nutshell, I am selfish. In a perverted sense, everything I do for others, is a way to make me feel good. Regardless of whether I receive renumeration, adolation, accolades or simply a sense of self worth, every action I commit, is deeply rooted in my desire to feel good.
The reason I write this is that, if you aren’t as happy as you would like to be, the simple solution is to try and help make someone else happy. In the end, you will find that your own unhappiness will ebb away and true happiness will find you. Try it for a month, you have nothing to lose but apathy and unhappiness.
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Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 (url)
Hi KEB,
That is very nice, honest, and very commendable.
I have now known you for approximately eight years and would truly attest to your words above. Personally speaking, you have been a huge help in my growth, both professionally and personally.
Though I have not had the privilege to have met you, in person, you have been about as good of a friend that I could ask for.
I know that you are a very hard worker, a self learner and a devoted family man. I respect all of those attributes.
It has always made me feel good to help others as well; in particular, the ones that really want to help themselves and who take the initiatives to learn and grow.
Thank you for every thing!
Mark
Saturday, November 15th, 2008 (url)
I must agree with you KEB. I too am an avid volunteer & community service provider. My biggest passion is animal rescue; however the portfolio of charities I'm typically involved with raising funds for are numerous & very diverse. What you get back when you give of yourself is almost indescribable to me. People are constantly commending me for the causes I step up for, especially given my extremely hectic schedule. That is probably a trait in people like ourselves. I have always done far more than a decent share of charity work & pride myself on doing it before my life, or the people in it are impacted by it whereever possible.
After fully getting involved with my passion, animal rescue & reaping the rewards my service gave to me, I composed an extremely passionate letter to my friends sharing with them my experiences & first hand knowledge & epiphany. In that letter, I pointed out, while animals are & will always be a passion of mine, my goal was not to get them volunteering for animals (of course I'd not turn help away either). I challenged them to examine what their passion was…..be it Toys for Tots, battered women, babies born to addicts, etc….ANYTHING that spoke to them personally. Pick something & apply yourself to it however & whenever you feel you can or want. You will get what you give ten fold if you truly love your cause. I had always been the type of person who's teeth chattered while walking from my apt. door to my car in the winter. Once I became an animal rescue volunteer at the local shelter…I was not only spending 3 nights a week there, during all kinds of weather walking/feeding/socializing them for 6-7 hours each night. I was shovelling snow-so that we had a path to walk them in! And ya know what? My teeth never chattered once, even if I couldn't feel my fingers or toes, or complained when I was black & blue from falling on the ice…! Every email or picture I get from an adopter on how one of those animals lives are doing would erase any single moment of unpleasantness I could imagine up. There is no greater difference than knowing you really DID make a difference in the positive energy of this world. There is no greater affirmation in the human spirit then the gift of oneself to strangers, in any way, shape or form it is transcribed.
Find something you love & believe in. Give it a few months of your extra or scheduled free time. You will be amazed at how much more you tend to accomplish in your schedule. as well as the positive rewards you reap psychologically.