Summer ended for me last week, as I started pre-planning at my school on Monday. Between working camps, teaching a class, and taking a big trip, there wasn't any time for my own art or home improvement projects, but I did manage to fill my final minutes and days in a meaningful way: with volunteer service.
Monday evening my husband and I taught a drawing class to a group of 18 young, single adults from central Georgia. There was a wide range of confidence levels starting out, but with just a few pointers, everyone was able to make something they could feel good about.
The Young women from church had their annual camp last week. This was my daughters 6th and last year attending. My husband also started attending 6 years ago. I joined them for half the week, and loved to see the creativity the girls used as they stenciled t-shirts, wrote and performed skits, played thinking games and just came up with photo shoot ideas. I loved to see them bonding with each other and growing as individuals.
We go to college and we gain skills not just to earn money, not just to make a name for ourselves or to boost our self-esteem, but to reach out and help others. There are an infinite number of needs in this world and an infinite number of ways to fill those needs. Our youth need to be able to work with their hands, to experience the natural world, to spend time with mentors whose presence lets them know they have value. They need time with peers. We all need time with other people. In the end, it's the relationships that may matter more than anything. In the end, those who seemed to have accomplished the most in terms of money and fame, may have sacrificed family and friends to do so, if it doesn't bring you happiness, then what good is it?
Schedule time to give time. Grow your talents by sharing them. Create joy by creating meaningful relationships. I am convinced that the most meaningful and happy lives are the lives that are filled with service.
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