The Privilege of Volunteering

Another birthday came and went this week, causing me to examine my mortality and question whether I have been fulfilling my purpose in life. This led me to thoughts of the influence my parents had on my efforts in volunteering.

As long as I can remember, my family has been one who volunteers.

From my youngest recollection, I can remember my mother making miniature pound cakes for bake sales and ornaments for the holiday Christmas bazaar. My mother did everything she could to help foster the causes of those in need and the things she believed in.   

I don’t remember a time when my father didn’t volunteer to help a neighbor or some other struggling individual. It seems my father was always volunteering or being volunteered for something.  

My dad, a double-degreed engineer, had volunteered to serve his country. He volunteered for the Boy Scouts, earning the rank of Eagle by the age of 14, and while volunteering as a lifeguard, saved a life at 15. I admired my father a great deal. A man who volunteered.  

For me, it seemed a natural state of progression to have a desire and willingness to volunteer; it was my genetic predisposition, my destiny. To add to that, I was born in Tennessee, The Volunteer State.

I never knew volunteering was an option. It was just something you did.

It has taken me some 50 years to figure out everyone doesn’t volunteer. Some folks run like there’s no tomorrow. I know this because I volunteer frequently for the things I believe in, and I don’t see everyone there.  

I finally realized I see the same faces everywhere I volunteer. At the risk of sounding repetitive, it is the ones who volunteer who volunteer.

Volunteering by the very definition is to offer oneself to perform a service or undertaking willingly and without pay for a purpose. 

In my life, other than tending to my family, volunteering has been my purpose. There has been little else I have received such satisfaction from than volunteering. It has given me a sense of spiritual, mental and physical purpose.

Volunteering has given me a sense of well-being of working toward a goal to accomplish something for the greater good. It has given me a chance to set an example for my children and to help those in my community.

Volunteering has been a sacrifice of time and resources, but I can honestly say I have been blessed with much more than I have contributed.

I hear people around me say things like, “Don’t sign-up until you see what you will be getting into or how much time it takes.”

This to me defeats the purpose. Volunteering is a privilege. While it is important not to over-commit yourself, you should let your heart guide you.

I do believe it is wise to match your efforts to your gifts. But I also believe by occasionally stepping out of your comfort zone, you may find gifts you didn’t know you had.

I have always liked the saying, "Bloom where you are planted."

Sometimes you just don’t know what is going to spring forth until you make an effort to grow and blossom.

Perhaps my favorite quote to pass along was coined by John Benjamin Heywood, a British playwright who said, “Many hands make light work.”

In talking to others about volunteering, I hear folks say they don’t want to volunteer because they don’t want to be taken advantage of. Realistically, that’s happened to us all one time or another.

I would defer to Heywood’s quote paraphrasing the more help you have, the less work for everyone. Just remember it takes a village.

Organizations in our community, and indeed the world, thrive because of the dedicated commitment of their volunteers. The next time you sign your child up to participate in an activity or you take advantage of a community event, explore volunteering opportunities. An hour of your time can go a long way, and you may find a sense of purpose as well.

If you need a place to start, check out volunteering.org.