Volunteering

What is something others do that sparks your admiration?

Those that volunteer get my admiration. They are giving up time and effort towards something that seems to give no reward whatsoever. Whether it is a high profile act such as the Red Cross or something more humble like litter picking, there’s a hidden reward.

Someone wrote somewhere that it is more blessed to give than receive; an odd thing to say you may think. How can giving something away be better than receiving something?

It’s to do with the need inside us all to survive, to see mankind thrive. It’s instinctive. We spend a lot of our lives trying to accumulate material things, to make our lives comfortable and secure.

There comes a point where a lot of us stop and think why? What’s the point? I can’t take it with me when I die, what on earth can I do? I’ve been fortunate, I have everything I need in life, both materialistically and emotionally. I have a good job, loving family, good social standing, but what does it accomplish? At this point, some of us will shrug our shoulders and say:

“Yes, life’s good to me, I’ve been lucky—time for another beer and relax with those I love and who love me.”

Nothing wrong with that, but some will look a bit deeper and wonder if there may be someone who isn’t quite as fortunate. Someone who needs a bit of help to get that good feeling you experience in your own life. What can you do? That’s where voluntary work steps in. Doing something that makes life for others a bit easier or even saves their life in extreme cases.

The two extremes such as working as a volunteer Red Cross worker of just Community Litter Picking—both are acts of giving. The feeling of giving something back into your society and helping to make the world a better place, no matter how humble an act, is the reward. That you’re done something to help life continue after you’ve checked out. Simple as that. No trumpets announce your act, no accolade—just the quiet feeling that you’ve helped the world survive another day at one extreme, or just made your town a nicer place to live in by litter picking, the other.

Have a great day out there, do a good act today, give something back to your world! X