Wow, 6 weeks in already. Where do I start? So far in Seattle I’ve had the opportunity to visit Pack Forest, talk to a founder of a non-profit, and visit the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. All of it has been amazing. Through my 6 weeks here I’ve learned to appreciate things that, in the past, I would’ve ignored or taken for granted. One experience like this was when we went to the Bloedel Reserve two Saturdays ago.
The tour started out as most would, and proceeded like any other tour I’ve ever been on. However, about half way through the tour, when the group was beginning to appreciate the beauty of the Bloedel’s former property, there was a request for mindfulness. Now, for those who don’t know what mindfulness is, it’s simply a practice where you sit down and take 45-60 seconds to yourself and simply enjoy your surroundings. You can focus on the air you feel on your face, the sound of the birds in the trees, anything really. The main goal is just to be in the moment, and feel the world around you without any other distractions. After our group of eight finished with this, in what is one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever been, our tour guide shared with us her story and, most powerfully, why she volunteers at the Reserve. She told us that she had been raised in a family where giving back to the community was one of the most important things. She said that she volunteers her time at two main places, the Battered Women’s Shelter, and the Bloedel Reserve. She also said that her time at the Reserve, surrounded by natural beauty, gives her time to recharge and the strength to go back to the women at the shelter and continue to help them.
To me, this is one of the most powerful statements I’ve heard the entire trip. Although, in and of itself, the recharge statement is a rather generic, I can genuinely say that I’ve never heard someone say it that meant it as much as this lady. After I heard this, it made me wonder about the motivation and reason for other people who volunteer. How many other people use certain aspects of volunteering as an escape? How do others use the experiences they have volunteering to help themselves, while simultaneously helping others? In my opinion, people who have found a way to accomplish the above are volunteering correctly. Volunteering should not be seen simply as chance to give back to the community, but also a chance to do something for you. Whether it gives you a chance to get away from the challenges of everyday life, the stress of work, or the rigors of class. If you can use volunteering as a chance to both help yourself and your community, you’ve found the true meaning of volunteerism.
Quinn Hosler
Duke Student '16
The tour started out as most would, and proceeded like any other tour I’ve ever been on. However, about half way through the tour, when the group was beginning to appreciate the beauty of the Bloedel’s former property, there was a request for mindfulness. Now, for those who don’t know what mindfulness is, it’s simply a practice where you sit down and take 45-60 seconds to yourself and simply enjoy your surroundings. You can focus on the air you feel on your face, the sound of the birds in the trees, anything really. The main goal is just to be in the moment, and feel the world around you without any other distractions. After our group of eight finished with this, in what is one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever been, our tour guide shared with us her story and, most powerfully, why she volunteers at the Reserve. She told us that she had been raised in a family where giving back to the community was one of the most important things. She said that she volunteers her time at two main places, the Battered Women’s Shelter, and the Bloedel Reserve. She also said that her time at the Reserve, surrounded by natural beauty, gives her time to recharge and the strength to go back to the women at the shelter and continue to help them.
To me, this is one of the most powerful statements I’ve heard the entire trip. Although, in and of itself, the recharge statement is a rather generic, I can genuinely say that I’ve never heard someone say it that meant it as much as this lady. After I heard this, it made me wonder about the motivation and reason for other people who volunteer. How many other people use certain aspects of volunteering as an escape? How do others use the experiences they have volunteering to help themselves, while simultaneously helping others? In my opinion, people who have found a way to accomplish the above are volunteering correctly. Volunteering should not be seen simply as chance to give back to the community, but also a chance to do something for you. Whether it gives you a chance to get away from the challenges of everyday life, the stress of work, or the rigors of class. If you can use volunteering as a chance to both help yourself and your community, you’ve found the true meaning of volunteerism.
Quinn Hosler
Duke Student '16