Volunteering. Do it.

So I love volunteering and think it is amazing and everyone needs to do it! For Reals. I am a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate. I work with kids that have been abused and/or neglected. I think every one needs to find something you love to do and do it. I love working with children so, when I came home from Africa and was slipping back into bad habits of being self-centered and ungrateful I knew I had to change that, so I jumped onto the United Way website and found some local opportunities. I found two that I like and sent emails to both. The CASA coordinator emailed me back first so I went with that! I started training Oct. 2009 and was put on my first case in January. I have been working on that case ever since. My girl that I work with has gone through so much in the past year. Her and her family have moved, she has been to multiple foster homes, multiple schools, she has been in and out of detention facilities, she has gotten new DCFS case workers, but I have always been there. One thing that has been constant in her crazy life. I wasn't sure I wanted to keep doing it after a few things happened but I stayed because I knew my girl would need me. Being a CASA isn't instantly gratifying, it took months for my girl to warm up to me, but I kept going and kept doing new things. We could go to the mall, get lunch, we went to color me mine, cabela's, we made feather headbands and bracelets, and we would just sit and talk.  I have a jar of questions that we asked back and forth and that is when I really saw her for the first time, we laughed and had a great time, and there was this amazing girl in there. And I wouldn't trade moments like that. Those are the rewards. Today I had one of those rewards. I went and visited her. I made her a journal and glued quotes that I love to the pages. We sat on the lawn and talked about her goals and what she wanted, little tears splashed on her cheek when she talked about what she needed to do to change her situation. With being a CASA I get to go to court and the judge sometimes asks me what I think about the case and what should change. I have gone to family team meetings. It has been really great and I have learned so much about court and foster care and DCFS.
So find something that interests you and do it. Stick to it. Every one can volunteer one hour out of their week and help another person in a significant way.

And keep in mind, if you can find an excuse today you can always find an excuse tomorrow.