The heart of a volunteer
July 30, 2010
I volunteer with a woman named Sandy. Sandy is a retired social worker who lives at home with her husband as her son and three step-children are off starting their adult lives. I have never seen anyone show love more significantly than the way Sandy shows it to everyone she sees.
While many staff members and volunteers are busying around with cleaning and administrative work, Sandy floats around the community space with her cup of coffee, talking to everyone she can—the beautiful part is that those conversations don’t stop at “Hello.” She digs deep. She listens to life-stories with emotion and enthusiasm. She hugs, she holds hands, she compliments…volunteers, staff, and community members alike, she makes people feel entirely worthy of her time.
I talk a lot about the power of showing love through conversation—Sandy is a very true-to-life, tangible example of that concept. There is no better way to make a person feel loved than to listen to what they have to say. That is something The Listening House is focused primarily on (hence the name). In-depth conversation is a very basic foundation of humanity, not to mention one of the easiest ways to bring the oppressed and forgotten back to life.
Don’t ever underestimate the power you hold with your words, and don’t be afraid to speak love.
Until next time, love.
-Jess
