I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
“Service.” The word alone can conjure up a daunting feeling of being responsible for doing something we might not like or want to do. Perhaps, the thought of having to do “community service” is overwhelming. Please read on, you may be surprised.
The word “service” has many uses. Dictionary.com finds that “service” can be used as a noun, “an act of helpful activity;” it can be used as an adjective, “of service, useful;” it can be used as a verb, “to make fit for use;” and it’s even employed in idioms, “at someone’s service” and “be of service.” And, of course, we use the word “service” to describe those people who defend this country in “military service.”
Where can we serve? We can serve in our own family by simply sharing our love. We can serve those in our own neighborhoods through acts of kindness and compassion. We can serve individually or together at every level of our culture. Obviously, all of us, regardless of age, can serve.
Is service helpful? Service is always helpful. Through service, by definition, we help. However, scientific research studies also have shown that when we serve our immune systems can actually get stronger. Who wouldn’t want a stronger immune system?
Further, when we serve, we exercise our better inclinations and attitudes. We know that “practice makes perfect.” So, as we serve, it becomes more natural for us to serve. Through repetition, service becomes more familiar and easier to do. In very short order, service can become a habit, a way of life.
Can you imagine what the world would look like if we all had the “service habit?” Compassionate acts would be everywhere. Rather than greed, we might exhibit understanding and kindness as the first response many of us have to life situations.
Perhaps most profoundly, whether we are conscious of this or not, every act of service has a spiritual quality. It is through service that we acknowledge through action that we are brothers and sisters to one another and that we share a common home, planet Earth.
I believe that this spiritual quality is expressed within each of us as joy. It is this joy that Rabindranath Tagore refers to in the above quote. I call this “the joy response.”
Please test your “joy response” by taking the following steps:
1. Reflect on your present mood. Notice if you are happy, sad or bored.
2. Do something to help another person or a cause.
3. Reflect on your mood after your service. I’m betting you will be feeling joy. You may even be smiling.
If you have never felt “the joy response,” I can tell you that this automatic reaction within each of us is a pure expression of love. Because we automatically give ourselves “the joy response,” we really don’t need to get a “Thank you” from those to whom we do service. Through “the joy response,” we give ourselves our own thanks!
Perhaps, I can provide an example of “the joy response.” Occasionally, a young person who is working with our organization, Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (www.chphp.com), has shared their feelings that arose when they shared food with a homeless person, but to their dismay, the homeless person did not say, “Thank you” for the gift of food.
“That’s an easy one to explain,” I say.
I ask the young person whether he or she lived in a home, if they slept in a bed and if they had a television.
“Yes, yes and yes,” they respond.
“So, let me understand,” I would say. “You have a home, a bed and a television while the homeless person probably has none of these things. And you expect the homeless person to thank you for the hamburger.”
“Hmm. But wait,” I continue, “how did you feel when you gave the hamburger to the homeless person?”
Without exception, the young person always says, “I felt great!”
That’s the “joy response.” That’s the “Thank you” that we give ourselves for an act of service. You see, we’re always thanked for our service.
I look forward to your comments.
Thank you, Christine
Christine, thank you for such a wonderful post. I strongly believe in volunteering your time and money–even if just a little bit– for a greater cause. I've met so many wonderful people and learned so much ever since I started volunteering at the Museum of Tolerance. Once you start volunteering, it truly becomes such an integral part of your life!
Yumi,
Thank you for your comment.
How wonderful of you to volunteer at the Museum of Tolerance! It makes me feel great that you are giving of your time so selflessly so that all of us can appreciate the Museum of Tolerance.
I agree with you that "once you start volunteering, it truly becomes such an integral part of your life."
Please stay in touch,
Christine
Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (chphp.com)
Website: http://www.chphp.com
Military service is not a easy task. This is why they must expect good benefits from the government after retirement. Military personnel, just like anyone else, can incur debt and have to find some different funding options from time to time, but military loans are a little different than your average bank loans. For those that do military work, they have to be active personnel, GS-6 (pay scale) or higher designation, or have retired after 20 years of active service to qualify for military loans. The lending industry has been contracting, making it harder for people to pay bills and keep up with repayment after interest rates have been raised. It's hard for anyone to be able to make their way in the world, whether they use installment loans or <a rev="vote for" title="Americans Using Military Loans to Pay Down Debt" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/06/18/americans-military-loans-pay-debt/">military loans.
AsaQ,
Thank you for your comment.
You know quite a bit about the military. Are you or have you been in the service?
I did not know that there were requirements for military loans such as you describe in your comment. You've brought up a good point.
I agree with you that our military personnel should expect good benefits from the government after retirement. I think that most of us have been focusing on the health benefits that are available or not available for military personnel after they come back from a war zone.
Please keep in touch,
Christine
Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (chphp.com)
Website: http://www.chphp.com
AsaQ,
Thank you for your comment.
You know quite a bit about the military. Are you or have you been in the service?
I did not know that there were requirements for military loans such as you describe in your comment. You've brought up a good point.
I agree with you that our military personnel should expect good benefits from the government after retirement. I think that most of us have been focusing on the health benefits that are available or not available for military personnel after they come back from a war zone.
Please keep in touch,
Christine
Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (chphp.com)
Website: http://www.chphp.com
hi dear Christine!
First of all I must say that I think it's wonderful how you reply to each one of the comments! I just thought to myself that it's too bad that many of the writers here are "far to reach.."
I liked your post and also the wonderful quote above..
What you are doing with the kids is wonderful!
In just few months I'll finish my social work degree,
In one of our projects I worked with kids who come from bad homes,
and helped them do community work and help other people in the neighborhood-
It went quite well and gave some of them a lot of confidence..
Just before reading this I thought to myself:
"One Act of kindness is better than all the words and fame in the world..
People can write many bestselling books and give many lectures-
but these small acts of kindness matters so much more!
"
I gave this recommendation to Kari and I think you'll like it too:
http://www.responsibilityproject.com/
There are great inspirational movies about giving..
I especially liked their commercial which started it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMwoexR1evo
I also liked the movies: "Be Good" & "Lighthouse"
This project is all about taking responsibility..
I welcome you to my tiny blog:
http://www.lightworkers.org/lovebeing
I'll always be happy to hear from you..
And I wish you all the best!
Lots of Love!
Gil
——
"Life is Good- when you Love!"
"We Are God Enough!"