Thoughts Along the Path . . .

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Throughout my 23 years of living in Ayr I have often noticed individuals and groups engaged in community life in both helpful and generous ways. Recently there seems to be an increase in activity, perhaps because this year is the 200th anniversary of Ayr. What do you think? Can our town’s “birthday” inspire an exceptionally high level of community spirit and volunteerism?

As I think back to the pandemic, I remember how much we benefitted from people we called “heroes.” Some because of their determination to continue their work amidst hardship; some because of new, even unexpected, service in those unusual and troubled times.

Although at a less dramatic level, let’s think for a moment about volunteers who do what they do not out of need but out of a desire to share and serve. The word “volunteer” comes from a Latin word for “willing or of one’s own choice.” While looking up the origin of the word, I also found that the earliest published use of it was around 1330 in a poem called in the original Old English “Of Arthour & of Merlin.” I haven’t read the poem, but I know enough about Arthur and Merlin to guess that it referred to both heroic and magical deeds.

Just to pick one small example from my own life: When I organize people to help with a litter cleanup project I’m not doing anything either heroic or magical. But I am motivated by service and do it through my own personal choice. The same can be said for anyone’s volunteer service. Cleanup projects, artistic displays, event organizing, animal rescue, food and clothing collection, planting trees, stuffing envelopes, visiting people in need – the list goes on and on.

Clearly money is not a motivator as we are not being paid in any material way. In fact, the opposite is frequently true when we feel that we receive more than we give by donating time for a worthy cause or sacrificing for others. We cannot quantify it, but we feel gratified by helping someone live better and for taking care of our planet. It feels good because it is good.

This quotation from the Baha’i writings sums it up nicely: “All religions teach that we must do good, that we must be generous, sincere, truthful, law-abiding, and faithful; all this is reasonable, and logically the only way in which humanity can progress.”

As I continue to volunteer time or other resources, and as I continue to benefit from other people’s volunteerism, I will think about how it connects to progress for all of us. That will surely inspire even more action.

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Submitted to Ayr News by Jaellayna Palmer, April 2024