Every year on this day, social media and the entire internet world are flooded with articles and posts by hundreds of people around the world, celebrating in their own way World Volunteer Day, as designated by the United Nations. They are celebrating their informal agreement to build a new world. The are celebrating their commitment to a better tomorrow. Hard not to notice! However, have you ever wondered what volunteering means and what its benefits are? Have you ever considered the size of supply in society without expecting anything in return?
So let's start from the beginning!
Volunteering means selflessness, empathy, offering. At a time when materialism and competition prevail, voluntary action takes on an even greater dimension. How difficult is to put aside your ''I" and look for ways to escape from the superficial and passive treatment of life? Free will and sincere willingness to contribute are what will lay the solid foundation for a more humane society. They say that volunteering is a way of life. It is an act inspired and inextricably linked to responsibility, teamwork and solidarity.
By participating in voluntary actions you learn the value of life, you learn to think, to act. You learn the value of offering something without looking for and demanding something in return. The reward for the volunteer is the offer itself, the achievement of the respective goal. Reward is inner satisfaction and the smile that is formed timidly on the face. Apart from the great contribution to the society, the benefits for the volunteer himself are innumerable. It exchanges ideas and opinions and gains experience in various fields. He discovers elements of culture like another traveler. It develops strong friendships and relationships of trust that endure over time.
Are you ready for all this? Are you ready to forget the "I" and embrace it? Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and actually act for the common good? Are you ready?
As long as there are people who keep the flame of love burning, there is hope. ARE YOU READY!
Jenny Tagga, Philologist
Photos from Greek Eco Project actions
