When i was a kid my mom worked at the Salvation Army. She was in charge of the Senior Nutrition Program. Her job would entail picking up food to be served to the seniors that would come to the center on a (mostly) daily basis, make sure the food was ordered and nutritious, as well as tracking what poeple ate, etc.
The smell of the food in the plastic bins is still engrained in my mind. The Salvation Army (SA)provided a lot of memories in my childhood. I know that my parents wedding reception was there, many of the guests were the people who my mom served during her tenure with SA. I learned to swim at that age.
I felt I could swim for hours and hours and I was safe and protected in the deep chlorinated blue tinted waters. Pretending to be Aquaman was one of my favorite past times. Many times wishing I could eventually turn into a fish and escape the world through some pipe. Sadly I know now that I would just end up in some tamk most likely.
Summers were spent going to daycamp and feild trips. I reember learning to crab walk for the first time, many trips to the Spokane Interstate fairgrounds, movies, waterslide parks. It was a time I remember as an amazing time that was an escape in a world knowing that my family was poor but I was accepted and nooned care about money or what I did or didnt have.
My mom would pick up many of the seniors that went to SA. I don't know if that was part of her job, but we did it nonetheless. We would pick the food up in the dark maroon vans that the center provided. On the way, there would always be a stop to pick someone up who couldnt make it to the center on their own. The time in the van would involve hearing stories of grandchildren, relatives, politics, and daily gossip. My brother Aaron and I would always be showered with affection being that we were a couple of "carrot-tops" that were young and playful.
As the years went by my Mom had another baby, quit SA and went back to school to eventually accomplish receiving her MSW. The thing though she never stopped was random picking up of seniors form the center and grabbing a luch here and there. I would accompany her on many of the lunch outings. Sadly most of the seniors from that era have passed. There was one thing I remember though, my mom's dedication to heping people.
In school I was not popular by any means. When I started public school in 3rd grade I was that one kid everyone targets to pick on. I remember always relating to adults better than other children. They all seemed so trivial in their thought process. I would always volunteer to help a teacher before or after class. Around 5th grade I started being called a teacher's pet. I found out it was not very popular to be helpful but i didnt care. There was a safety and refuge from the kids wanting to beat me up or calling me names.
A I got older I watched as my mom continued volunteer like a mad women. She taught writing classes at the college, assisted with refugee relief, working with the prayer chain at church, sunday school duties, working with an interfaith paper called the Fig Tree. Somehow she still was able to maintain a house with kids, a husband, 2 dogs and cats and other pets within the house.
This sat engrained in my mind and I knew that volunteering was in the cards for me. I tried to find my niche via several ways in church and work activities. My first time I realized how much I loved to volunteer was after I had come out and I was part of a commitee that provided a yearly retreat for people in 12 step recovery program. I was considered the "normie" by the poeple who came to the retreat since I was not in a recovery program.
One of my favorite moments was getting to merge my mom's world with mine. She was heavy into facilitatimg writing seminars teaching "Healing Through Writing". She ended up facilitating one our groups and it was an amazing experience to see my mom as more than just my mom but a healer that was using her skills for the betterment of the soul. That moment just moved me so much to have that experience to share with my mom.
This didnt stop my desire to want to volunteer more, in actuality it jumpstarted a sleeping creature. The years have brought many chances to volunteer. Once moving to Seattle I found the need for volunteering is so great. I decided that I wanted to do something that would be a bit more meaningful than just sending mailing lists or anything like that. I decided to volunteer at Lambert House . Lambert House is a center for gay. lesbian, bisexual, transgender and question youth. A safe house that provides support and great activities the youth.
The first day I went to the volunteer coordinating class I met Dawn Morgan. We quickly became close freinds and shared the common need to educate and volunteer. I feel this was such an immense time of growth for me. I learned more than I could even blog here in one entry. After many changes in administration and funding cuts I wasnt able to keep up my fair share of the needs that need to met and I stepped back. I still helped where i could with minor volunteer roles within the community until a bit over a year ago.
I had been in a group at Dunshee House that supported newer diagnosed HIV+ poeple. I felt it was my time to step up to the plate and and become more apart of Dunshee house and it eventually opened up into my role as facilitator for said group. It led me to volunteering with POS Seattle as well as AIDSWALK with work and so many great opportunities. I have loved it so very much and love the ability to be a mentor and bring my experience to people who are scared and a bit lost knowing that I was there just a few short years ago. The experience has been exhaustingly rewarding.
A few weeks ago I had to take a hard look in myself and realize that I am stretched to my limit. I have spoken with my mom about how she feels that it was time to step back on some of her own volunteering. Once again my path with her has crossed and I have realized that it is time to step back and live some life for a while. As of August 7th my duties with Dunshee house will be done and I will take a much needed sigh of relief.
I know that my Service Work is far from done in this lifetime. It is just a time to keep working on making my life and journey at this stage an experience that I can LIVE and not rush through. It is time to work more on my goals and my dreams and let other poeple take over the duties that I have occupied so very long. Passing the torch feels so good and healthy.
I am glad to have this time to write and work on some music ideas. I will focus on quality of life and I know its the best decision much like the path my mom has chosen as well.
The smell of the food in the plastic bins is still engrained in my mind. The Salvation Army (SA)provided a lot of memories in my childhood. I know that my parents wedding reception was there, many of the guests were the people who my mom served during her tenure with SA. I learned to swim at that age.
I felt I could swim for hours and hours and I was safe and protected in the deep chlorinated blue tinted waters. Pretending to be Aquaman was one of my favorite past times. Many times wishing I could eventually turn into a fish and escape the world through some pipe. Sadly I know now that I would just end up in some tamk most likely.
Summers were spent going to daycamp and feild trips. I reember learning to crab walk for the first time, many trips to the Spokane Interstate fairgrounds, movies, waterslide parks. It was a time I remember as an amazing time that was an escape in a world knowing that my family was poor but I was accepted and nooned care about money or what I did or didnt have.
My mom would pick up many of the seniors that went to SA. I don't know if that was part of her job, but we did it nonetheless. We would pick the food up in the dark maroon vans that the center provided. On the way, there would always be a stop to pick someone up who couldnt make it to the center on their own. The time in the van would involve hearing stories of grandchildren, relatives, politics, and daily gossip. My brother Aaron and I would always be showered with affection being that we were a couple of "carrot-tops" that were young and playful.
As the years went by my Mom had another baby, quit SA and went back to school to eventually accomplish receiving her MSW. The thing though she never stopped was random picking up of seniors form the center and grabbing a luch here and there. I would accompany her on many of the lunch outings. Sadly most of the seniors from that era have passed. There was one thing I remember though, my mom's dedication to heping people.
In school I was not popular by any means. When I started public school in 3rd grade I was that one kid everyone targets to pick on. I remember always relating to adults better than other children. They all seemed so trivial in their thought process. I would always volunteer to help a teacher before or after class. Around 5th grade I started being called a teacher's pet. I found out it was not very popular to be helpful but i didnt care. There was a safety and refuge from the kids wanting to beat me up or calling me names.
A I got older I watched as my mom continued volunteer like a mad women. She taught writing classes at the college, assisted with refugee relief, working with the prayer chain at church, sunday school duties, working with an interfaith paper called the Fig Tree. Somehow she still was able to maintain a house with kids, a husband, 2 dogs and cats and other pets within the house.
This sat engrained in my mind and I knew that volunteering was in the cards for me. I tried to find my niche via several ways in church and work activities. My first time I realized how much I loved to volunteer was after I had come out and I was part of a commitee that provided a yearly retreat for people in 12 step recovery program. I was considered the "normie" by the poeple who came to the retreat since I was not in a recovery program.
One of my favorite moments was getting to merge my mom's world with mine. She was heavy into facilitatimg writing seminars teaching "Healing Through Writing". She ended up facilitating one our groups and it was an amazing experience to see my mom as more than just my mom but a healer that was using her skills for the betterment of the soul. That moment just moved me so much to have that experience to share with my mom.
This didnt stop my desire to want to volunteer more, in actuality it jumpstarted a sleeping creature. The years have brought many chances to volunteer. Once moving to Seattle I found the need for volunteering is so great. I decided that I wanted to do something that would be a bit more meaningful than just sending mailing lists or anything like that. I decided to volunteer at Lambert House . Lambert House is a center for gay. lesbian, bisexual, transgender and question youth. A safe house that provides support and great activities the youth.
The first day I went to the volunteer coordinating class I met Dawn Morgan. We quickly became close freinds and shared the common need to educate and volunteer. I feel this was such an immense time of growth for me. I learned more than I could even blog here in one entry. After many changes in administration and funding cuts I wasnt able to keep up my fair share of the needs that need to met and I stepped back. I still helped where i could with minor volunteer roles within the community until a bit over a year ago.
I had been in a group at Dunshee House that supported newer diagnosed HIV+ poeple. I felt it was my time to step up to the plate and and become more apart of Dunshee house and it eventually opened up into my role as facilitator for said group. It led me to volunteering with POS Seattle as well as AIDSWALK with work and so many great opportunities. I have loved it so very much and love the ability to be a mentor and bring my experience to people who are scared and a bit lost knowing that I was there just a few short years ago. The experience has been exhaustingly rewarding.
A few weeks ago I had to take a hard look in myself and realize that I am stretched to my limit. I have spoken with my mom about how she feels that it was time to step back on some of her own volunteering. Once again my path with her has crossed and I have realized that it is time to step back and live some life for a while. As of August 7th my duties with Dunshee house will be done and I will take a much needed sigh of relief.
I know that my Service Work is far from done in this lifetime. It is just a time to keep working on making my life and journey at this stage an experience that I can LIVE and not rush through. It is time to work more on my goals and my dreams and let other poeple take over the duties that I have occupied so very long. Passing the torch feels so good and healthy.
I am glad to have this time to write and work on some music ideas. I will focus on quality of life and I know its the best decision much like the path my mom has chosen as well.
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