Reflection

It is rare that I write anything extremely personal - I can't really recall a post that was very personal. But I've been thinking lately about the worth of my work and the importance of what I'm doing.

I have been an AmeriCorps member now for 9 months. I have been to many events, met many people, and learned an awful lot. In someone's position such as mine there always come a point when one questions what they are doing, why they are doing it and if it's really worth doing. At the end of the day my assessment of how that day went is based upon two things. How I treated others and how I reacted to how others treated me. We're only on this planet for so long and there really is only so much we can do. But while we are here I have found it is gravely important to remain giving, grateful, and gracious. In times of doubt or in moments of frustration I think about why I'm doing what I'm doing. Why I signed up for AmeriCorps in the first place and my answer is because I want to help everyone and anyone I can in the time I am allotted here. I have had people come in and out of my life. Some of them were around for hours, days, or years. In that time they said and did things so minute, but so grand. Things that changed me and shaped me to be who I am today. And I want to be sure that every single day I remember the potential of my existence. As a community member, a student, an AmeriCorps I have the potential to impact so many lives. And so do all of you. We may not be able to build rocket ships or cure cancer, but some of us may! And some of us may put a smile on people's faces or serve soup or collect shoes for the shoeless. Whatever we do, it counts. Whatever we do, we should do it with joy and happiness - knowing that our work is priceless. And we should strive to work together harmoniously to better our communities.

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." - Edward Everett Hale