Volunteer

Volunteer. That very word I used to sneer at. Who would actually give something, give their time, for nothing in return? I was skeptical, and downright mean. My view now is the opposite.

Every Friday, I walk to my old elementary school to volunteer with my old kindergarten teacher. Consistently, I have a wonderful time helping the kindergarteners with their center work, and they are all very sweet to me. Sure, I am not gaining anything material, but I am earning the trust of both the teacher and the students. Every student in that class has a different way of looking at the world, and I get to watch them learn and grow. It is very special to help them, to see their smiles when they finish something, and to hear their thank you's at the end of the day.

It is very nostalgic, working with kids in the very room where I first went to school, with the same teacher. I keep finding memories hidden in the rafters and the stacks of construction paper. I love to help them, love the feeling of contentment that I feel while walking home, knowing that I have done something good for someone else, knowing that I have helped in a small way with these kids.

To conclude, my views of long past are gone. Completely wiped away. Volunteering is not for losers, it is for winners. I look forward to going again and again and again.

Claire