After thinking about it, I realized it's more than that. The short version goes like this: I clicked around on volunteermatch.org (that's what it's called, I think....?), found a volunteer opportunity with The Salvation Army meeting at a local Target where Target donated $80 to each child in the program and we (the volunteers) were matched with a child and we got to go shopping for school clothes with these kids for about 2 hours. For someone like me this is PERFECT -- I got to A) help somebody else find clothes B) spend someone else's money and C) of course, walk away knowing I helped SOMEONE - it might not be much, if anything, but YES it's something. Of course when we met the lady scared the jeepers out of me -- as most people know, I can be a fairly shy and soft spoken person (you know it's true!) and when she said "be prepared to get a child on all spectrums -- some will be excited and happy, others may be shy, and some may feel upset or resentment for having to be here" let's just say the first thing that popped into my head was "oh great, knowing my luck I'll get the child who wants nothing to do with me!" Well..I got lucky. I was paired with a little girl named Callie - she was bright, happy, excited, and very sociable. We spent almost the whole time we were allotted to find her clothes, shoes, socks, etc. She was very grateful and excited for her new school clothes and she had no problem showing her friends what she got either. She walked away having a good experience...and so did I.
I came to the realization that little gestures can make the biggest impact and I also realized that walking away feeling blessed and fulfilled is one of the greatest feelings ever. Sometimes people can be so hesitant (and perhaps selfish) to lend a helping hand -- and we forget that it is, not only, our service to others, but many times, it is that service that leaves us the most satisfied. You forget how great that feeling is until you actually do it. That experience alone put that in perspective and WILL keep me looking for and acting upon more opportunities.
If I have one piece of advice, it is this...go to volunteermatch.org and pick something then follow through with it. And HEY, if you want to invite me along, I'd be more than happy to come.
Ta ta for now!
xoxo,
Kelly
Ps... after volunteering was done, I headed home to Maple Grove for a few hours. It was so beautiful out I had to capture it. It was one of those perfect summer days.....one that I will miss when there is about 2 feet of snow.. ;)
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| My dad mowing. Go Big D! |
