I have just surpassed volunteering over 13,000 hours at Rocky Mountain National Park in the 12 years I have lived here. My career in retirement is volunteering. I am delighted to have this part-time “job.” I am privileged to have the means to spend hours everyday volunteering as a way to contribute in my remaining years.
This volunteering is a labor of love. I do it out of personal passion and enjoyment, rather than for financial compensation or external praise. Something a person willingly works hard at without being paid is a labor of love. Labors of love occur in many ways and benefit oneself or other people. Some friends are actively engaged in taking care of grandchildren. Others have creative hobbies that they do for fun even though sometimes the projects are marketable. Others are involved in promoting community causes.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth” noted Muhammad Ali. I met an individual years ago who told me he would never do something in the community if he didn’t get paid for it. I pitied that person and hope that he has changed his mind over the years. Nevertheless, I know that I do not do things for others unless I feel some intrinsic reward that matters to me. I am not altruistic. I believe good deeds always come back positively to the doer.
Even if the service requires significant physical or mental effort, my primary reward is personal satisfaction. My work in the park is motivated by my deep interest and love for natural environments. Believing that I make a difference carries me forward. I also admit that volunteering is my means for social interaction. It helps me feel needed with others who share a purpose. Volunteering negates feels of isolation for me.
I keep track of my volunteer hours for the park service because reporting volunteer hours is tangible and of value in making a case for this organization. Doing things that do not receive recording are really labors of love. For example, I have proclaimed myself the murderer of invasive weeds in my neighborhood. After years of slaying the weeds, I am beginning to see the results. My pursuits are not selfless as I walk in these areas every day and delight in seeing wildflowers rather than the noxious weeds that can take over.
Labors of love vary from individual to individual. I am grateful for all the opportunities I have in my community.
Congratulations and thank you. Labors of love are the best