on volunteering

 

volunteering is like planting seeds, watering them, waiting for sun, watching a garden grow over time, gradually, something blooms in your heart and fills an empty space

    I can't say I've ever had an interest, up until recently, in volunteering; because I'm not a very social person. Although I am articulate and enjoy good conversation, I am also socially awkward and somewhat shy. I prefer to participate in activities that are independent, or have a vetted, select group of people that I can feel comfortable with.

Over the years, as my children grew and I got older, my circle became much smaller. Family and friends were busy with careers and hobbies, and I craved some of my own. I also longed for a connection on a genuine level that I didn't feel very often anymore. I think, especially when folks are busy, it can be difficult to fully embrace a moment and be present with someone. To meet someone where they are and hold space.  I wondered how I could feel that particular connection so that I might soothe the tender aches in my soul. I wasn't surprised to be feeling this way. Ever since taking a sabbatical from my career as a veterinary nurse, I had missed the sense of pride I receive from caring for others.

I began a search that didn't really have a specific starting point. It was a whim. I have personal concerns about mental health care and mental illness, and I wondered what I could do to provide support for myself and others. I wondered, as a community, what was being done in that specific area. So, I looked around and read a few articles and came up with some ideas. The one that caught my attention was a volunteer position for NAMI. The National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is well known and widespread, and I had heard of them before, but I wanted to learn more about their mission. The volunteer position required a training course that provided information and education on mental illness and treatment. This seemed to be a great opportunity for me to study a cause I am compassionate about. I also want to be there for people who are in need, because I know how it feels to be isolated and vulnerable. I know how it feels to struggle to reach out. 

    

    After completing the training course, and a final test, I was honored to accept my position as a volunteer helpline specialist for NAMI. I have learned a lot over the past several months, and I feel grateful and humbled at the end of each shift. Each and every person I connect with needs the very same thing: support. They are looking for help and I admire their strength and courage. If I had to pick one lesson I value most from this opportunity, it would be visibility. Putting yourself out there. Opening up and being honest about how we feel can make us feel vulnerable, and that's difficult. I think sometimes it can be easier to hide our emotions and push things aside. If we open up, and share, we give ourselves the possibility to make a change and heal. And this is invaluable. Even if things don't work out the way we wanted them to, we took a chance and did our best. 

    In a word, volunteering is connecting. When a person volunteers, they are offering their assistance first and foremost. And that, in itself, is admirable. If there is care and compassion in their work, a genuine connection is achieved. This is the true gift and reward of volunteering. Not just a sense of pride, or self worth, but a sense of community. And, more importantly, a feeling of hope. The hope we feel is an expression of love for the world around us.