Being the members of a community, we all have several expectations and believes regarding our rights. We pretend to be respected, to be listen by the others in order to communicate in the best way possible and to be supported. What about our duties? Are we really interested to provide the necessary conditions for the development of our sanctuary, the community? Do we take care of the ones that don’ t have the same chances that we did? Do we try to make the world a better place by preserving the environment and respecting the other people’ s work?
Maybe we are trying to, but, in the end, nothing changes, because wishing is not enough. It’s about facts: serving food at the local homeless shelter, involving personally in a charitable organization, offering the neccessary resources in the case of a disaster, taking care of the animals and nature. Volunteering has many forms, you can choose the suitable way, depending on your time, preferences and interests.
You have the opportunity to change your own life by improving the life of the others. Do you love animals, but you don’t agree with the way they are treated? Try to help out at a local animal shelter. You’ll see less dogs or cats on the streets and hear about less accidents that involved animals. Or maybe you have a friend or a relative that suffers of a major disease, such as HIV, cancer, diabetes. Why not collaborate with some specialized institutes, that are raising founds or doing research? You will find more and be much more able to help your loved ones.
Maybe you like children, but you didn’t have time to have one of your own, or maybe your little one has grown up and doesn’t need your help as much as he did in the past. Volunteering in an after school or an orphanage can give you a good mood and bring smile on your face.
Volunteering opportunities are endless, you can develop your way of thinking and personality by spending time at a retirement community, helping out at your house of worship, taking part in a park cleanup day, teaching the others about the benefits of a healthy diet, offering your help in an environmental campaign and many others.
The lack of time is not an excuse, most of the organizations want part time volunteers, whom presence is not demanded more than a few hours, every week or two. You can do it at the end of the week, and rest peacefully, knowing that you’ve made the right thing.
Being a volunteer, you will develop your skills, communicate better and learn to reach your goals. It’s about motivation, about that light in the eyes of those that feel the joy of being understood, because people really depend on you: people with disabilities, people in financial distress, sick kids, or the elderly. And most of all, it’s about responsibility, humanity and finding a better perspective on your own life.