I grew up in a community where service project were a monthly if not bi-monthly thing. I always thought that service was a great idea but I never really engaged without a lot of moaning and groaning! "7 am sweetie! Time to go help Mrs. Larson with her yard" never sounded like an appealing wake up call. Geee I wonder why!
Yet, somewhere deep in side of me I always knew I wanted to serve people but I never found a way that I enjoyed. I tried to get myself to go, I would try to get myself involved. Heck, I even joined a service club in high school and eventually became secretary for them just so I could force myself to do something.
Even then it didn't feel genuine--even then I grumbled in my head.
Yesterday I found out how I can serve people with a genuine smile on my face. Making a difference in a person's life is always a good thing but how do you have it be meaningful to you?
A couple of my Alpha Chi sisters are in a management class and they were required to set up an event for a charity or nonprofit or something with the community to help people. Well my lovely sisters set up a pre-prom activity at a local high school. There was a booth on making corsages, one for learning to take a good picture, one for doing hair and make-up and finally the one I helped with: renting out donated dressed for (drumroll) FREE.
I was astounded. I got so much fulfillment out of the hour I was there, more than I have gotten out of any other volunteer work I have done in the past. You want to know why? Because I used to be there. I remember posters going up and gossip going around about the upcoming high school dances and thinking "how on earth am I going to afford a dress". It's a sore topic for me. I didn't have the money to go out and buy a $500 dress and my parents certainly didn't either.
If this event had been held for me at my school it would have taken so much anxiety and self loathing out of school dances for me. And that's why doing this affected me! One of the girls said "I've never felt so pretty. I feel like a princess." This almost made me cry. 9 different girls went away with free dresses that they probably could not have afforded with out this event.
And I realized what can make service great: when it's personal! How do you volunteer without begrudging it in your heart? You do something for others that you wish someone had done for you! Or you find an organization/cause that has deeply touched your heart!
I mean, yet mowing the old neighbor's yard is great and is never a bad thing but what if you just can't find the umph to do it? Start with service that you love! If you have been affected by an issue see if there is service opportunity for it. If you or a family member or a friend has been a victim of domestic violence then chances are you have more of a passion for helping out at CAPSA than at the homeless shelter...and that's okay! Doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing!
You don't have to rank volunteer work on a goodness scale and feel guilty for not helping out with a more "worthy" cause. Don't feel guilty. Just do what you're passionate about. I have a passion for helping with girls who can't afford to fit into the crowd, and I have a passion for women's equalities as well as a passion for helping African refugees and stopping the abduction of children in Africa.
I work in my passions and it feels great. When I go to a quilting bee I feel bored. You don't have to feel obligated to work with the causes that give others passion. Work with the ones that make you feel on fire!
Make it personal and it will hit home.
Much love,
Carly
