BLOG: Volunteerism, a Gut Reaction That Calls Us to Act

Empathy and compassion are the same sides of a coin. I walk in another person’s shoes so that I can ‘feel’ their pain, their joy, their love. These traits are often at the heart of what compels us to volunteer. But, what if you have never been homeless? What if you always had a paycheck to cash and an apartment to come home to? What if you never experienced cancer? Can we really walk in another’s shoes, feel their pain, their joy in our attempts to help them?

I was reminded of this when I posted the question on Facebook. “What motivates you to volunteer?”

The expected answers came:

 ….I long ago recognized that it’s important to give back. Working with like-minded people is very rewarding too

…..Gives one the opportunity to make a difference!

….. I like to feel like I am doing a little something to help others in the community. Makes me feel great when I see someone else smile.

….. Whatever little bit we can contribute adds to the grand karma of the universe! We have passions for a reason. We’re all part of the solution…

Then the unexpected:

……I’ve actually been involved with an organization that didn’t appreciate that I was there to help. Well, I guess the organization did but some of the residents didn’t? It was work with a community center in a low income housing development and there seemed to be resentment that I wasn’t one of them.”

My response:

…..I recall a time I was volunteering for a welfare to work program for low-income, single moms. I drove into the parking lot on many occasions with my gazillion dollar SUV. Even I thought it was a little disingenuous. But, I know, the organizers of the program loved it when I volunteered and loved it when I donated cash. They were not low income, single moms either. So, how to bridge the disconnect?

So this blog post is my attempt to bridge the disconnect.

First off, no need to apologies for the status of privilege or otherwise you were born into. For the choices you made. Every single one of them was essential for creating the life you live today, warts, glory, and all.

But, my passions, the causes that call to me with gut wrenching force, are very much dictated by the experiences of my past and my brain’s wiring. Many of these passions I feel called to volunteer for such as equal pay, domestic abuse, all are based in my innate sense of fairness and justice. My gut telling me to act.

I recall having a conversation at dinner when I was 13. My sister’s boss was not treating her fairly. Funny, I recall my reaction but I can’t recall the subject matter.  “That is not right! The guy’s an idiot!” Name calling was all I had in my fight for justice arsenal at the time.

I look around my global village today and in my community and I see different stages of women’s rights ebbing and flowing both in the Arab nations and right here in my back yard. That’s what fuels my passions. So, if that means I have to drive somewhere in my gazillion dollar SUV to help low-income, single moms then so be it. No apologizes.

So the answer to my question above is: Yes! At some level we volunteer because deep down inside something compels us to act whether we’ve experienced the injustice ourselves or not. We just want to help. We give our gifts then let go. How or whether our gifts are received is none of our business.