Love Loves to Give

Today, I’m going to share something that I love doing and make sure I make time for: volunteering. As a college student (and an adult), it can feel like time isn’t on my side. And sometimes, stubbornness can be a good thing. “If time isn’t on my side, then I won’t be on its side and i’ll do my own thing”. Making time for something takes a lot especially if you already have a lot on your plate. For me, as someone who believes in giving, I don’t always “feel” excited whenever a volunteer opportunity comes up. I have to fight myself, fight apathy, fight laziness, or excuses to bring myself to do it. But once i’m on it, I feel very alive. I live for the smiles and gratefulness on people’s faces when they get something they love.

Last year, my church did a sports camp for the children in Armenia. We partnered with an Armenian American missionary family there and they helped us set up the whole event. The admissions were free for the children. It was a week-long event and we went on two locations (Lake Sevan and Vanadzor) and we traveled a couple hours to get to each location.

Armenians love soccer! And call it fate or a miracle or whatever but before we left for the trip, one of our team members met someone who owned an athletic store in the area and donated hundreds of soccer balls and soccer cleats to give to the children! Turned out that he was also Armenian and was grateful for an opportunity to give to these children. Happiness sits on both sides of the gift: the giver and the given.

(Fun Fact: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were in the capital city, Yerevan, a few weeks before we came!)

Trips like this can be very costly but thanks to fundraising and very generous people, me and 4 other college students on our team could go. You certainly don’t have to go international to do something to help other people. A simple act of kindness goes a long way. There are volunteering opportunities everywhere and Montgomery college offers plenty of them. Check this link to find out:

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/plain.aspx?id=8041

If you have a local organization that you’re a part of, like a church or a club, find out if they offer any volunteering opportunities and join. My church has a homeless outreach that i’m also a part of and we go at least once a month. Summer is always a good time to do volunteer duties and that is when I do most of my volunteering. I hope you add a little more happiness to your life by adding a little more happiness to others 🙂