Doing Good, Feeling Good
Good deeds are good for sure; volunteering makes a difference, Not only on the society, but to you!
Many think that volunteering is all about what you give. But for me the surprise was how much I received …..
What was my motivation to join MAD?
Am I a person who wanted to do something noble? Or was there something else?
In my case it was a combination of lot of factors that led to me joining MAD.
I’m sure that at some point of time, almost everyone goes through a bad phase in their life. At the time I joined MAD, I was delving deeper into one of the worst chapters of my life.
Due to personal problems, I had taken a sabbatical break from my studies & was basically at home complaining how life had been unfair. All I did was stay at home and crib about why such a thing was happening to me. Yeah, I know I am a drama queen.
Everyone at home was trying in their own ways to get me out of my depressing situation & to help me move on and start a new chapter in life. That’s where my little brother came into the picture.
My brother Hijaz who was a part of MAD, always talked about MAD; which was the only thing that made me smile. Then one day he asked – ‘Why don’t you join MAD? You like kids and you have always wanted to do something like this. You will be doing a good deed; it’s better than sitting at home Didi, think about it…’
And that got me thinking…I visited the website of MAD and decided to join….
Joining MAD
I got a call from MAD and was asked to come for a meeting, where I was interviewed by Ashwathy who interviewed me briefly after which I was told I could join her at YMCA as an intern under her.
First day
I had always been good with kids, but I was worried whether I would be able to connect with the kids at YMCA. While traveling to YMCA lots of doubts were clouding my head; like if the kids would dislike me. I bombarded Ashwathy with so many questions that she told me to relax and just watch her taking class. When Ashwathy’s car reached the gate she was greeted by, what seemed to me, an extraordinarily eager group of kids. They were so happy to see her and when they caught sight of me, they all stared at me, probably wondering if I could be trusted. After entering the classroom, they all gathered around Ashwathy, who introduced me to the kids, after which they energetically quizzed me, wanting to know everything about me. The class started, and I became a silent spectator. As the class proceeded, I was asked to conduct the reading session which I saw as a boon as it was only my first class.
That’s how my journey with MAD started; my time at YMCA taught me a lot of things. I met those wonderful kids who had gone through so much at their age and still had hope for the future. Their passion for life caught my attention; the experience changed my perceptions on so many things, basically everything about life. It brought me out of my stupid self pitying drama I was living in. I realized how lucky I was in many ways and hence started the want to do something good.
What I gained?
I have gained a lot, the list is long guys. But the most important thing that happened to me was – I returned to life, I learned to smile, dared to hope and fight for a better life.For me, being a part of MAD has only brought happiness.
Doing Good, Feeling Good – that’s how my time with MAD has been.
Listening to an enthusiastic ‘Hi’ or ‘Good Afternoon Didi’ just makes my day. It feels great when they learn new things and are excited about it; making me feel proud of the fact that I had facilitated that learning.
I’ve made some really good friends, improved my soft skills and overall, MAD has given me the experience of working in a dynamic organization. I have interacted with many individuals with different personalities and thereby have learned to deal with people.
Final Word:
I learned that a simple desire to love them and interest in their welfare is something kids will always appreciate. Just be you, and the creative factor follows naturally. I know that I have touched them; through their words and their happy faces on seeing me. It makes it worth the time and effort.
If you’re nice and helpful, it makes someone’s day a lot better. Doing something good for someone else can make us feel better about ourselves. Try it; you will be surprised at how it brightens even the darkest, foulest of days!
At present I am a volunteer at Holy Ghost Orphanage – Aluva. I just love it there, it’s my stress buster.
Go MAD!
Related posts:
