Once you’re knocked out of your groove, it’s hard to get back in.
I’ve volunteered in various capacities for years now. When a local center for people experiencing homelessness was forced to stop scheduling volunteers early in the coronavirus pandemic, I wasn’t able to continue serving lunch there. I looked for other ways to volunteer remotely but nothing seemed like the right fit.
Months went by, and eventually we moved to another state. The busyness of the move and getting settled further delayed my return to volunteering. But once I was fully vaccinated, I knew I was out of excuses. It was time to get back to giving back.
To be honest, it was a struggle. I’d grown accustomed to my new volunteer-less routine. It seemed like such a chore to find someplace new to serve, go through the learning process, and take all that time out of my schedule. But I forced myself to do the research, pick a place, attend the orientation, and show up to serve.
Unsurprisingly, my shifts at a local food bank have quickly reminded me why volunteering is important. The people I meet are literally struggling for their physical survival, something that never even occurs to me in my overly blessed life. My heart broke for the downcast homeless gentleman, the mentally challenged person, the veteran desperate for someone to listen to his stories, and the elderly woman walking slowly with her cane as she struggled to collect food for her nine-person family. These are real people, just like me, deserving of dignity, respect, and help.
But the magic of serving is that the people being served aren’t the only ones who benefit. I’ve rediscovered the joy and gratitude I feel when volunteering for a cause I believe in. Energized, I literally ran through my last shift as the line of people waiting for food in the hot Arizona sun stretched down the sidewalk. I was motivated by their courage, and by the positive attitudes of so many. I returned home tired in the best sense and found myself appreciating my beautiful, privileged life in a whole new way.
So how about you? Are you intentionally serving others? If not, why not start today? A simple internet search of “volunteer opportunities near me” is a great place to begin. I’ve volunteered at a number of places using volunteermatch.org, which allows you to filter opportunities by location and area of interest. Try helping out at a food bank or a homeless shelter or a school or a church. Maybe your way of serving isn’t through an organization at all, but by mowing an elderly neighbor’s lawn or dropping off cookies or writing encouraging letters to lonely relatives. Find what feels right to you. It may take a few times to find a good fit, but don’t give up. Keep going. Give back. If you do, you’ll feel good while making the world a better place, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.
I’ve tried those first two options before. Many times. I’ve pretended that I didn’t see people suffering because it made me feel sad and guilty. At other times I’ve hardened my heart to the pain caused by injustice because I felt powerless to do anything of significance to stop it. But over time, I’ve learned that if I’m going to become the kind of person I really want to be, I have to choose the Servant Response. To go even further, I think if there’s any hope for the world to become what I believe it should be, most people have to choose option #3. I’m guessing many of you would agree.
2. What one practical step can I take to make a difference in that area?
As you enter into the battle against injustice, it’s easy to feel defeated at times and wonder if what you’re doing really makes a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. knew that feeling but kept himself and others going with this insight: “The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice.” Keep fighting. In the end, justice wins.
A boy was walking on the beach and saw that the tide had stranded thousands of starfish on the sand. The sun was coming up and the starfish were going to dry out and die. He began to pick them up, one by one, and throw them back into the ocean. A man came along and said, “What difference can you make? There are thousands of them and you’re just one boy. Who cares?” The boy bent to pick up one more. As he tossed the starfish back in the water, he said, “This one cares.”
