I met recently with my classmate and her husband. They seemed to look relaxed and satisfied with life.
We got to talking about their careers – they both worked in a bank. It was a pretty perfunctory response. But when asked what kept them busy in their retirement years, the husband’s eye brightened with delight. He was happy being an unpaid director of two local foundations.
Surely, he feels great that he is still able to contribute to society. Volunteering, although it seems is only for those who can’t find a job, is a lot more than that. It gives meaning to the life of the older members of society. It allows young people more life experiences away from their regular classroom lessons.
It makes neighbourhoods more caring, especially when families do it together. It connects people with others in the community. It gives not-for-profits more resources to serve their clients better. It lessens people’s sense of isolation and loneliness.
It gives people a sense of confidence and pride being able to do something good for others. In addition, volunteering is now considered an important element in a society’s economy. Volunteering can truly be an invaluable help for communities in general and for people in particular.