Young people volunteering—it's real, it happens, and among its many gifts, it offers this one: it comforts those of us no longer young, who often feel discouraged and hopeless. We take heart watching their generous example.
But this essay is for those friends whose youth is behind them—perhaps carrying a few aches, with plenty of empty hours and a television waiting to fill them. It tries to list ten good reasons to volunteer, the way a famous writer once did on television.
So, I volunteer because:
- It pushes me physically out of the four walls of home to discover other worlds;
- It forces me out of myself and my troubles so I can look at others;
- It keeps my mind sharp, my heart engaged—often my muscles and nerves too!
- I meet new people, many of whom become real friends;
- I find qualities and abilities in myself I never knew I had, things I'd never used before;
- Without the tensions and rivalries that paid work brings, I learn to truly collaborate. I recognize difficult parts of who I am, and by working through them I build confidence;
- We share good meals together (they call them "working dinners")!
- Sometimes I get angry, sometimes I laugh, sometimes I'm tired—but it all makes me feel alive;
- We take trips (they call them "social outings") and discover places I could never easily reach on my own;
- A social note: when you're out in the world, you can't wear a bathrobe and slippers (or a tank top and pajamas if you're a man). You have to take care of how you look!!
Pennablù, 2011