As the pandemic continues, are you finding yourself to be out of sorts more often than usual? Are you hitting the ice cream more and the workout routines less? Do you feel Covid fatigue? This pandemic experience is most unusual and challenging in so many different ways.
Volunteering may be more important now than ever as we face ongoing struggles in our community. Volunteering in our communities can be a catalyst for positive change. Helping others is vital to keeping our community strong but it can also be vital to our own personal lives and the lives of our family.
Volunteering provides a way for us to strengthen our own mental and emotional well-being. When we focus on someone else, it can take our mind off of our own problems even if it is only for a few minutes. All areas of our lives are so different now than it was at the beginning of March. Putting our attention on someone else's needs helps us forget about our own challenges and provides a different perspective that may be new to us.
Sometimes hearing other people's volunteering experiences can give us the inspiration we need to begin our own volunteering journey. Edna and her children began volunteering at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. She says, "Our family was matched with a Senior close to the area where we live and we try calling her a couple times every week. Both of my children and I participate in phone conversations. We share about the things that are happening in our family and we listen as we learn about her and her family. We have had the opportunity to learn about great stories that she experienced in her many years of life. We also enjoy sharing about things that we have done that are similar to her experiences. It is a treasure to spend time with her. My children have grown having this opportunity and responsibility to think about someone else besides themselves and our family. They have learned to listen and ask good questions. They also have had great opportunities to share about their own experiences. We are very happy to have a new friend."
It is so important to take care of ourselves, too. As we all have different situations with family and work and school, it is important to understand we can help others best only when we have taken care of our own needs. Think about the example airlines give if there is an emergency: you put your own oxygen mask on first before you help someone else. Of course, there is a time and a place for everything and that includes volunteering. But when we find it is the right time to volunteer, how exciting it can be to think that we can "lose" ourselves in service to others only to "find" a newer, better version of ourselves.
Join us as a Senior Buddy to help a senior stay safe and stay home and help yourself in the process. Weekly phone calls to check in and offering a way to get groceries gives a senior neighbor access to a friend and items they need to stay healthy. This opportunity provides a new possible friend to you as well who can share their life's wisdom and experiences. Children can join in by writing letters or mailing artwork to a buddy. Sidewalk chalk art can be fun, too!
You can share your volunteer experiences here. This is a site that gathers and shares inspirational stories about how others are helping their communities and surrounding world be a better place. Of course, we want to hear those stories, too. We love hearing how you are making an impact and how it is affecting you as well.
Is now the right time for you to volunteer? Only you can decide, but if it is, contact Sherrie today to join us as a Senior Buddy. sherrie@senioraccesstx.org