Community Service

Every once In a while I hear the phrase “Be the change you want to see in the world”. 

 I’d this phrase in the back of my mind, never giving it too much attention, since it sounded like another “make the world change” clishe. 

Since my youth, I was attracted to community service and social activities type of work, hence because I’d always been enlightened from the idea of serving others, hence because of my athenic belief’s system I grew up with, who tells you to always prefer others upon your own well being. Being followed by my inner guidance, I’ve been searching for my own unique path to contributes the community that surrounds me, always having Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin played in my headphones and yes, I used Discman, can’t remember the brand. I’d this unanswered questions that were so typical to my teenage time – Do I do community service because I care for others or am I just selfish because it makes me feel good? Is it ok to be just selfish? Do we solve the problems when we talk it over and over again? – Growing up, I’d those questions answered and some of them will be addressed in this article. 

Full of hope and possessed to make right everything that was wrong in the Israeli society, I got into a year of community service (in Israel, it’s a year we take before we join the army, and it’s a matter of choice). Through time, the possession and the hope I was well known for, turned out to be two volunteer programs – the first one took place in a weak population institues, such as bording schools and shelters. I went over there, I drew large wall paintings, or gave them an art workshop – my goal was to give them hope, to show them that there is a way out. the second program took place in the streets of TLV, were I’d created baskets for homeles, filled it with food, soap, towel and blankets. I’d funded it by myself and asked people to donate me some supply, as colors or blankets. 

When we volunteer, it seems like we are the one to give something away – time, energy or money, rather than getting something in return. The truth, thought, is that we are the one that benefit’s from it. 
Community service allows us to open our hearts and say out loud “I have gifts to share”.

“I have gifts to share”. Well, we don’t often hear this phrase nowadays, living in a conditioned based  society – you give time, you receive money, you give money you receive property and so on, we don’t usually hear “look for what you can give”, rather than what you can take. Our everyday life are fool of Consumerism, an unfulfilling jobs, passemistic news – those can easily depress one’s spirit and to weigh heavily on one.

The question “what can I give” doesn’t relate to a chance to get rid of all of your new brandy clothes you’d never wear or the canning you keep in your closet for the next war, it relates to your own unique way to serve others, to give your own unique voice to the world, without having it being conditioned by anything. 

I will explore in this article  two different ways of being in service: – 

1. How does the question “how can I serve others” benefits us?
– When we ask ourselves that question, we open two channels – 
 – It allows us to observe our natural gifts, our natural talents, once one is aware of it, he allow to use it for he’s own benefits, and since now he both aware and both uses he’s talents – one is allow to use he’s talents in order to benefit his community.

– It opens one into an energetic abundance, since we change the direction from what I can get to what I can give? It allows us to release energy and to feel lightened and enlightened.

Volunteer allows us to be superstars for a day, to make someone’s dream come true, to inspire our children and our community.

2. The 80% – 20% principle – 

Did you ever walked around in your house, gave a quick look into this old Irish Whisky bottle, that is in use only on a special occasions? never mention, those never comes, perhaps once a year. Have you walked around in this old, empty house, in those empty rooms after your kids had left? Have you ever looked at all of those small  souvenirs of the past you never dare to throw away, how can you? those are all memories, you’ll might need those things one day, this day never comes thought.
Can you take a moment to think over the food you put in your mouth, all of the gadgets and furnitures you put in your house, the small pieces of nature you’d collected through your traveling – those shells, stones and crystals – now, can you ask yourself “how much of it do I really need?”
Do you really need 3 different brands of cereals or all of those small items you will probably never use again? Do you really need those shells on the top of your shelf? If the answer is ‘no’ then the nature needs is! it uses it constantly and someone else can probably use your supply – everything you don’t need, will be in use somewhere else – The 80% – 20% principle says – we use only 20% of the 100% properity that we have. Take the other 80% – GIVE IT AWAY, SELL IT DONATE IT – keep only the 20% that you use and you will notice, suddenly, how every little piece of it comes into use. Later on this process, you will take a second thought before you purchase a new item on the internet. You can even take some of this equipment and use it to benefit all – twice I took my own colors and brushes to paint the fences of the community garden, not to mention the work time I’d spent in painting it all and taking care of the greens – gardens.
Later on you’ll find out you don’t need 3 type of cereals, you will might find it better to eat fruits and vegies for breakfast – it gives you more nutrients, it’s cheaper and do right with planet earth.

When we serves the community on a regular basis, we do right with ourselves since we allow ourselves to shine, we allow our natural flow and then the phrase “Be the change you want to see in this world” gets a deeper perspective.

allow yourself to shine, give others the change you want to see in the world, and don’t be afraid – the tiny move of yours – will might move mountains for someone else.