Unless Each of Us Does Our Best
“The world is in a bad state but everything will become worse unless each of us does his best” — Viktor Frankl
A few years ago, I got more involved with my local communities. Work filled my life up to that point and I wanted to meet people where nobody cared what I did for a living.
My volunteer journey evolved from volunteering to online tech communities to local initiatives. I didn’t exactly know what I was doing but I knew what matters to me:
Active and accessible transportation modes
Veganism and the environment
Healthy neighbourhoods, placemaking, and third places
I started volunteering to clean up parks with the Keep the Earth Fresh, prevent food waste with the Leftovers Food Rescue, and maintain a clean fridge/pantry for the Beltline Community Fridge. I joined the d.talks Content Writing team for Calgary’s annual Design Week. A few months ago, some friends and I created kindfork.ca, a vegan social club, where we organize monthly meetups to grow a vibrant vegan community.
When I found myself not having a job, being part of these communities made a positive difference. My job can take up my time and energy, making harder to volunteer, but when I do, I re-energize and feel more connected. And the more I push myself to do it, the more resilient I become.
Volunteering helped me learn my biggest lesson: my identity is bigger than my professional one. Being connected to my local community matters. Volunteering reminds me that doing nothing is not an option. And even not knowing exactly where this will all lead, it’s worth getting out there, meeting people and helping as a I can, with what I have.
It’s an opportunity to embrace the unknown, experience life through someone else’s perspective, to do something without expecting recognition, money, praise, etc. Contrary to other adult responsibilities, this low-pressure environment invites us to be more compassionate and curious.
Are you ready to explore where volunteer will get you?
Let whatever makes you curious be enough to try it out. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. It will be uncomfortable, and that’s a good sign. If you start today, imagine where this journey will take you. No one can say for sure but one thing is true: you have more to offer than you think. And more to gain than you expect.