Keeping promises

My fellow volunteers, hard at it.

Last year (procrastinate much, Patti?) I made a New Year’s resolution (which I don’t normally do because I know me too well) to volunteer more. I do as many stories as I can find about people who do a lot for others, and they always inspire me and make me feel really guilty and certain I’m a horrible person with no empathy, in comparison.

So, last year, with that printed-in-the-newspaper, too-late-to-back-out promise hanging over my head, I took more than a few opportunities to actually get off of my butt and help out.

Not as many as would qualify for sticking to my promise, though, so this year I decided to give myself a New Year’s Eve resolution extension.

What? That’s not a thing? It’s a thing now, my friend. I wished it into existence, you’re welcome.

Now, if you slip a little on keeping those resolutions, relax, I’ve got your six.

Just roll those resolutions over, and BAM! You’re guilt-free and on the road to accomplishing something. Now, you’re probably thinking I should have to do double the volunteering to make up for the rollover, but to that, I say NONSENSE.

The power of each act of kindness and philanthropy is doubled by the re-dedication of the act of extension, see? Twice the whammy, and none of the guilt!

Monday, I was fortunate to flex that whammy (that sounded dirty, sorry) when I joined a little over a dozen other intrepid souls who help Wendy Bailey at the food giveaway at the park. It’s about the same people every time, including Bailey, Bill Spurlin, Talli Meek, Mikayla Cox, Carol Nagy, Wendell Hamilton, Carol Foster, Donna Cullison, Nikki White, Pat Taylor, Debbie Heaton, Heidi Ellis, Margaret Simon and Hailey Cochran, all giving their time and a considerable amount of energy to unload, organize and bag food donations for hundreds of people they don’t even know, but care about.

This was my second time with this group and, like the first time, I went in to work afterward feeling drained and energized at the same time, so essentially it made me bipolar.

I’m a hermit, a procrastinator and I have ADD. All reasons for me to stay home, silence the phone and dive into some creative endeavor, and I do that. I do that a lot.

I find though, when I do something to help other people (or animals), I am helping myself. I mean, I can’t remember the reason I chose such a resolution, but I did, and it must have been because helping others is a win-win for everyone.

If I can do it, you surely can.

Patti is editor of the Greene County Daily World. She loves kitty-cats, chocolate and chocolate kitty-cats. If you would like to share a story (or some chocolate) or just make a friend, she can be reached at pdanner@gcdailyworld.com.