Isabella G.
Photography by Peyton Mears
If you’re reading this, I hope you find time to volunteer.
“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others” -Mahatma Gandhi
Volunteering throughout my life has added so much value to my sense of purpose, strengthening my compassion, adaptability, and commitment to serving others while fostering meaningful relationships and personal development. The idea of service above self has actually allowed me to find myself more deeply and has aided in my overall psychological well-being.
Helping others isn’t a chore but rather a gift to be able to be something for someone. We experience true joy when we step outside of ourselves and can do things for other people. The most valuable lessons I have learned have been from these experiences. When we volunteer with the intentionality of goodness for people, we will start to notice the goodness inside of us too. Because when people feel joy we feel joy too.
Growing up, the value of service was instilled in me. My family and I would do angel tree presents, ring the bell for the salvation army, and volunteer for church missions. As a child, I thought of volunteering as a check off the to-do list, but looking at my life now, I’m full of gratitude for it.
My mom has always loved doing random acts of kindness for others. When I was ten, she and I were at Walmart, and this woman was buying cupcakes for her son’s birthday, but didn’t have enough to pay for them. My mother pulled out a $20 bill from her purse and said, “Isabella, go up to that lady and give this to her.” I can remember being very nervous to go up to a stranger and mad at my mom for making me do so, but I went up to the woman anyways. When I handed her the money, she was unbelievably grateful. She was filled with tears and told me how much of a blessing that I was to her family.
I was so stunned. Such a small act on my account, which I grumbled at my mom for making me do, brightened this woman’s day. She was saying things that I didn’t feel were deserved. Through this, I learned the importance of being kind to your neighbor, which shifted my life perspective.
My first big service project was the summer going into ninth grade. On this trip we were volunteering with the Appalachian Service Project in which we repaired homes for people who may not have the funds or means to do so. This trip was the most transformative moment of both my faith and in my life of service.
Rachael, who was my youth pastor, asked two of the youth to go with her to the house that we would be repairing to introduce ourselves to the family. I enjoyed talking to people so I volunteered to go. When we got to the house, it was not what I expected at all. The house was in an unimaginable condition with thirteen children living in it with their two parents. As we got inside the living situations were unsuitable for humans to live. Feces on the floor, trash everywhere, bugs, and broken furniture. For dinner, the kids were eating pasta with ketchup because it's all they had. Seeing this as a 14-year old was a harsh reality. However, I believe it was one that was necessary. I lived in the dark about how some live for so long, so this experience was extremely humbling for me.
When touring the house, we were introduced to all the kids. Though living in a hard environment, they were some of the most joyful people I have ever met. We talked to them for a while about their lives, and we exchanged stories. As the night ended, we wished them goodbye, and told them that we would see them tomorrow.
As we got back in the van, the tears started to form. Knowing that those children were living in such a dire situation broke me, it was gut wrenching. I wondered how those children were so joy filled while living in the house they did.
The next day the whole youth group got there, and we were tasked with cleaning the house. I was cleaning one of the bedrooms and while in there, I found a hypodermic needle. I did not understand what I found (at the time), and showed Racheal. With this, we were no longer allowed to work on the house. We had to leave and this was heartbreaking.
I was confused. I felt awful. I felt like it was my fault. If only I had just thrown it away and not said anything. You play a mental mind game with yourself as to what you could have done, and it’s never productive. Would those kids have had a better place to live? Would they be in a better situation?
To this day I still think about those kids and how absolutely wonderful they were, despite all odds. I think about what they may be up to and how they are doing. Those kids showed me genuine kindness and joy, which I try to carry with me everyday. From this situation, I started to approach my life with more gratitude.
A phrase I live by lately is grief and gratitude can co-exist. Some life situations are terrible, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. I grieve for them living in a hard environment and wish that I could wipe that problem away. It’s incredibly hard and incredibly sad. Along with that I am grateful for the experience. They showed me so much joy, despite it all and made such a lasting impression on me.
This past summer I had the opportunity to work with CROSS missions in which churches from all over the US would come and stay with us for a week to connect their faith to service. During the week, we would go to 8 different non- profits and youth would be able to take this time to reflect on how they can help others.
One ministry site that we went to frequently was called Roof Above. This is a place for people who were once experiencing homelessness, to now have permanent housing. At these sites we would talk with the residents and play bingo. Prizes would include laundry detergent, soap and other necessities. While you think playing bingo isn’t inherently volunteering, it showed the residents that the people there cared about them and that their lives had value.
I met so many incredible people at this site. Willie who was in the military, Patty who was a nurse, Preacher who was as friendly as can be, Ebony who listened to my stories, and Ormando who was vulnerable. Each of them had their own unique experiences and perspectives, sharing wisdom, kindness, and stories that left a lasting impact on me. Through connecting with them I was able to connect with myself.
At the end of the day, volunteering is both challenging and deeply heartbreaking. Witnessing the real struggles people face and grappling with our own place in it all is a difficult but profound reality. It’s hard but incredibly important.
Yet, despite the challenges, volunteering has profoundly shaped my mental and emotional well-being. Through serving others, I’ve learned to process emotions with more empathy, embrace gratitude, and cultivate a mindset of hope even in the face of hardship.
From this message, I hope that you can find time to volunteer. Think about something in your life that means a lot to you. What are you passionate about? How can you make a difference? Each of us brings something unique to the world, and in our own way, can create meaningful change.
Isabella G., Florida State University
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at FSU on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to FSU students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
AUTHOR CONTACT
This author has opted to allow readers who resonate with their story to contact them. If you would like to speak to the author of this letter about their experience, please use the form below.
