Topic 12

I wasn't able to participate in the PLC annual Spring cook-out celebratory thing, so I leave you with this as my final blog entry charting my experiences in Service Learning of Spring '10:

When I tried to make it expressly clear that Service Learning activities were not at all about you as an individual, I didn't tell you the full truth. All apologies, my bad. There is something more that I feel the need to say.

Helping others does not mean that you must be a martyr and completely sacrifice & ignore yourself and your own needs to attend to someone else's. No, we've all still got to keep in mind to help ourselves, too. Activities like the ones encouraged in this class are marvellous in every way, but they're by no means the only way to help your fellow man. Never give up. In the end, it all comes down to that. Never give up on yourself, the world, and everyone else in it. We forget it often, I know I do...but we're all in this together, we're all wandering this uneven planet wondering why it keeps sticking to our feet. Ever feel lost? You're not. To quote my favourite book, and my "Bible" in a sense:

"Here’s what I know about the realm of possibility— it is always expanding, it is never what you think it is. Everything around us was once deemed impossible. As hard as it is for us to see sometimes, we all exist within the realm of possibility. Most of the limits are of our own world’s devising. And yet, every day we each do so many things that were once impossible to us."

We all exist within the realm of possibility, and I can honestly say that through volunteer opportunities and my own life this past term, I have finally gotten confirmation about many things I've feared were never true, never real. But they are. Even just a simple smile their way as you're walking past someone could make their day, and this helps both of you. It reminds you that it is possible for the little things to be full of meaning, and the same to the other person.

I don't care if what I've written sounds cheesy, because it's just honest and that's all I need. Go on, go out there and spread love & the reminder of the realm of possibility like a curse. Make connections. Make someone's day. Let someone make your day. It doesn't matter how. Keep your head up and just smile once in awhile...

I know I will.

Au revoir et enchanté;

~Kirsten Ariel Isolde Meyer