Volunteer work as transcendant and more meaningful than previous careers (moving, marriage)

[Escort Rider]

Previously I shared that I read aloud to fifth grade classes as a volunteer. I started at a second school at the end of September, where I was so impressed with how much the students had read and how much many of them already know. But what impressed me even more is how nice they are, how kind and respectful. It is enough to restore one's faith in humanity.
>
>Yesterday the teacher presented me with about 60 little thank-you notes each student had written. Some thanked me for reading to them, some thanked me for playing chess with them during their lunch hour, and some thanked me for running in their school jog-a-thon. Others thanked me for two out of three of those things, and others thanked me for all three. Some unintentional humor always creeps in: "Thank you for being very thoughtful and serving your time with us kids". (Makes it sound like it was a prison sentence).
>
>My view of what I am doing there goes beyond just standing up, reading aloud for 30 minutes, then walking out. I try to the extent of my meager skills and judgement to have them reach a full understanding and appreciation of what I am reading by explaining things and asking questions without getting too pedantic. I was especially gratified that this was specifically recognized in the comments of two students:
>
>1. "I like how you have in-depth discussions with us. I have learned so much from you. Also, I like your choice of books".

>2. Another student, after thanking me specifically for the three things (reading, jogging, and chess) added: "Last, and finally, thank you for teaching us things about the books. I really appreciate it".
>
>I think these are very insightful and sophisticated comments for 10 and 11-year-olds. Others wrote more simply. Here is one in its entirety: "Thank you Mr. [Escort Rider]. I am so glad that you came."

>In another two weeks, author Renata Zerner, age 86, will be visiting the school at my invitation and answering questions about her experiences as a teenage girl in Nazi Germany. I am just finishing up reading excerpts from her book "Dance on the Volcano" to them.

I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful that fate (a chance recruitment by a school district employee which I initially resisted) has led me to this particular school and to this opportunity to do something meaningful. I feel like I should thank all the children instead of their thanking me, and of course I will do that.

In thinking about this after reading the kids' comments yesterday, I recalled some words from my childhood which I didn't bother to look up, so I hope I am quoting correctly:

"...He leadeth me beside still waters. ....He restoreth my soul..."

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

Previously I shared that I read aloud to fifth grade classes as a volunteer. I started at a second school at the end of September, where I was so impressed with how much the students had read and how much many of them already know. But what impressed me even more is how nice they are, how kind and respectful. It is enough to restore one's faith in humanity.
>
>Yesterday the teacher presented me with about 60 little thank-you notes each student had written. Some thanked me for reading to them, some thanked me for playing chess with them during their lunch hour, and some thanked me for running in their school jog-a-thon. Others thanked me for two out of three of those things, and others thanked me for all three. Some unintentional humor always creeps in: "Thank you for being very thoughtful and serving your time with us kids". (Makes it sound like it was a prison sentence).
>
>My view of what I am doing there goes beyond just standing up, reading aloud for 30 minutes, then walking out. I try to the extent of my meager skills and judgement to have them reach a full understanding and appreciation of what I am reading by explaining things and asking questions without getting too pedantic. I was especially gratified that this was specifically recognized in the comments of two students:
>
>1. "I like how you have in-depth discussions with us. I have learned so much from you. Also, I like your choice of books".

>2. Another student, after thanking me specifically for the three things (reading, jogging, and chess) added: "Last, and finally, thank you for teaching us things about the books. I really appreciate it".
>
>I think these are very insightful and sophisticated comments for 10 and 11-year-olds. Others wrote more simply. Here is one in its entirety: "Thank you Mr. [Escort Rider]. I am so glad that you came."

>In another two weeks, author Renata Zerner, age 86, will be visiting the school at my invitation and answering questions about her experiences as a teenage girl in Nazi Germany. I am just finishing up reading excerpts from her book "Dance on the Volcano" to them.

I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful that fate (a chance recruitment by a school district employee which I initially resisted) has led me to this particular school and to this opportunity to do something meaningful. I feel like I should thank all the children instead of their thanking me, and of course I will do that.

In thinking about this after reading the kids' comments yesterday, I recalled some words from my childhood which I didn't bother to look up, so I hope I am quoting correctly:

"...He leadeth me beside still waters. ....He restoreth my soul..."

Escort Rider, are you married? I think I want to marry you.

What a really good soul you are. And, yes, the quotation is correct.

[Fran66]

To elaborate -- because I think I know how you think and feel about your volunteering:

1. I did a lot of volunteering, from the time I was 40 t0 60, with the homeless and as a Hospice volunteer. I always thought and felt that I received so much more than I gave. I was always so touched by the homeless and the dying.

2. I stopped because I became burnt out. And sick, for the past three years and not well yet. I've spent a lot of time in silence and solitude over the past 3 years, and I've come to be so very grateful for this time. [However, I'm an introvert, and that probably makes a big difference.]

And lastly, you used the word 'transcendent'. Not exactly a very common word, nor a word that would be commonly used around volunteering. So where does your use of this word come from? If you choose to answer. I'm just interested.

I appreciate the fact that you volunteer with children. Not all of us have that gift. I think it takes a special person to voluntarily tutor children.

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by Fran66

Escort Rider, are you married? I think I want to marry you.
What a really good soul you are. And, yes, the quotation is correct.

Originally Posted by Fran66

And lastly, you used the word 'transcendent'. Not exactly a very common word, nor a word that would be commonly used around volunteering. So where does your use of this word come from? If you choose to answer. I'm just interested.

I appreciate the fact that you volunteer with children. Not all of us have that gift. I think it takes a special person to voluntarily tutor children.

Thanks for your kind words, but as for marrying, how do you know I'm not as ugly as sin? Curmudgeon is the only City-Data poster who has seen me in person. Better check with him first.

As to the vocabulary question, "transcendent" is a normal part of mine, which may not seem believable because I mis-spelled it in the thread title, to my humiliation. I have intellectual proclivities, although I have neither the intelligence nor the scholarship to be a "real" intellectual.

Well, good question as to how volunteer work could be described as "transcendent". As you know, transcendent means going or passing beyond; for example we can speak of the transcendent beauty of certain music, meaning that the music seems to carry us beyond ourselves into some deep realm. That's how I feel about the gratifying nature of what I have experienced bringing certain books to fifth graders; it is satisfying to such a degree that it seems to go beyond ordinary enjoyment to a deep and meaningful place. Perhaps any significant connection between different individuals transcends the limits of the individuals themselves, as in a good, loving marriage, but not limited to that archetypal male/female pair bonding.

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

Thanks for your kind words, but as for marrying, how do you know I'm not as ugly as sin? Curmudgeon is the only City-Data poster who has seen me in person. Better check with him first.

As to the vocabulary question, "transcendent" is a normal part of mine, which may not seem believable because I mis-spelled it in the thread title, to my humiliation. I have intellectual proclivities, although I have neither the intelligence nor the scholarship to be a "real" intellectual.

Well, good question as to how volunteer work could be described as "transcendent". As you know, transcendent means going or passing beyond; for example we can speak of the transcendent beauty of certain music, meaning that the music seems to carry us beyond ourselves into some deep realm. That's how I feel about the gratifying nature of what I have experienced bringing certain books to fifth graders; it is satisfying to such a degree that it seems to go beyond ordinary enjoyment to a deep and meaningful place. Perhaps any significant connection between different individuals transcends the limits of the individuals themselves, as in a good, loving marriage, but not limited to that archetypal male/female pair bonding.

Looks aren't important.

I have 'intellectual proclivities' -- however, I don't know exactly what that means. No, I'm kidding. I do. You should see my 'library'.

And of course I knew what you mean by volunteering being transcendent -- or at least I thought I did. I just wanted to hear what you had to say.

Not many people know what 'archetypal' means. I think we have some things in common that most people don't.

I'm moving to Oceanside next April -- maybe the fall of 2014. I'll call you when I get there.

However, I was really joking about getting married. Honest. Truly. I've done it twice. I'm not doing it again. Not ever. Not if my life depended upon it.

And -- I am an INFJ. Well, if nothing else, it does make life interesting. LOL

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by Fran66

Looks aren't important.

I have 'intellectual proclivities' -- however, I don't know exactly what that means. No, I'm kidding. I do. You should see my 'library'.

And of course I knew what you mean by volunteering being transcendent -- or at least I thought I did. I just wanted to hear what you had to say.

Not many people know what 'archetypal' means. I think we have some things in common that most people don't.

I'm moving to Oceanside next April -- maybe the fall of 2014. I'll call you when I get there.

However, I was really joking about getting married. Honest. Truly. I've done it twice. I'm not doing it again. Not ever. Not if my life depended upon it.

And -- I am an INFJ. Well, if nothing else, it does make life interesting. LOL

I knew you were joking, and that why I was joking back. I am 69 and have no interest in getting married again.

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

I knew you were joking, and that why I was joking back. I am 69 and have no interest in getting married again.

omg, looks don't matter -- but age does. You are old. Too bad, ol' guy. LOLOLOLOLOL

But -- all joking aside -- you are definitely smart!

[Fran66]

Maybe you should start this thread over again under a different name. I think it's a very worthwhile topic, but I'm afraid I got it off to be a very bad start, unintentionally. I'm sorry.

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

Previously I shared that I read aloud to fifth grade classes as a volunteer. I started at a second school at the end of September, where I was so impressed with how much the students had read and how much many of them already know. But what impressed me even more is how nice they are, how kind and respectful. It is enough to restore one's faith in humanity.
>
>Yesterday the teacher presented me with about 60 little thank-you notes each student had written. Some thanked me for reading to them, some thanked me for playing chess with them during their lunch hour, and some thanked me for running in their school jog-a-thon. Others thanked me for two out of three of those things, and others thanked me for all three. Some unintentional humor always creeps in: "Thank you for being very thoughtful and serving your time with us kids". (Makes it sound like it was a prison sentence).
>
>My view of what I am doing there goes beyond just standing up, reading aloud for 30 minutes, then walking out. I try to the extent of my meager skills and judgement to have them reach a full understanding and appreciation of what I am reading by explaining things and asking questions without getting too pedantic. I was especially gratified that this was specifically recognized in the comments of two students:
>
>1. "I like how you have in-depth discussions with us. I have learned so much from you. Also, I like your choice of books".

>2. Another student, after thanking me specifically for the three things (reading, jogging, and chess) added: "Last, and finally, thank you for teaching us things about the books. I really appreciate it".
>
>I think these are very insightful and sophisticated comments for 10 and 11-year-olds. Others wrote more simply. Here is one in its entirety: "Thank you Mr. [Escort Rider]. I am so glad that you came."

>In another two weeks, author Renata Zerner, age 86, will be visiting the school at my invitation and answering questions about her experiences as a teenage girl in Nazi Germany. I am just finishing up reading excerpts from her book "Dance on the Volcano" to them.

I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful that fate (a chance recruitment by a school district employee which I initially resisted) has led me to this particular school and to this opportunity to do something meaningful. I feel like I should thank all the children instead of their thanking me, and of course I will do that.

In thinking about this after reading the kids' comments yesterday, I recalled some words from my childhood which I didn't bother to look up, so I hope I am quoting correctly:

"...He leadeth me beside still waters. ....He restoreth my soul..."

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by Fran66

Maybe you should start this thread over again under a different name. I think it's a very worthwhile topic, but I'm afraid I got it off to be a very bad start, unintentionally. I'm sorry.

It's alright. No need to be sorry. I am not possessive about threads which I start, nor is my self-esteem tied to the reaction they get. I am not in a contest with anyone, so if you turn out to be the only respondant, that's O.K.

[Caladium]

I used to volunteer as a museum docent and in many ways it was more meaningful than my paid job, in that I spent every day learning a little more about a topic I liked and explaining it to other people. I enjoyed spending time socializing with the museum visitors--my paid job dealt with confidential material and so I spent almost no time with the general public. Each day was different, whereas in my paid job the days were pretty routine. I also spent more time walking around which is something I really appreciate--I really liked my paid job, but it involved more sitting than I really like.

The most meaningful volunteer jobs I've done have been for our local fire department. I've helped out from time to time, mostly for the PR side of things, or helping out at fundraising events. My efforts directly contributed to getting a much needed truck, and also raised neighborhood awareness. Who knows, my efforts may have in some way helped save lives. If you want to do something meaningful, I think helping out your local fire department is a very worthwhile thing to do. Also, it's a good way to meet a lot of friends.

I have tried a few volunteer jobs that felt more like I was doing busy work rather than actually doing something helpful. It takes a few tries to find the right fit. Fortunately, it's no big deal to leave a volunteer job if you don't like it.