Serving others is good for you
I don’t know about you, but the reality tv programme Love island was a shameless part of a my weekly tv watching last year.After it ended my phone battery took a hit as I crept online at the couples. Olivia and her baby faced farmer, Amber and Kem, Marcel and Gabby (my faves) and of course hot Calvin Klein model Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow.All of whom are fascinating to watch as they plummet into the wave of stardom since their departure from Majorca.What stands out for me about Cam and Jamie is their desire to serve others. Yes, you might think some of it a little contrived or look at Camilla and her privileged upbringing thinking “it’s alright for her standing in a soup kitchen while I’m here in my 9-5 trying to make my own ends meet”.All of which is perfectly valid but...in today’s society where criticism is rife, body perfection is (tragically) strived for and cyber bullying is at it’s highest rate among teens and adults - isn’t is refreshing to see someone step outside of their comforts to serve a community?My good friend Mel Wiggins Blog quoted Beth Clarke recently and it struck me.The quote was about one person’s actions being enough to cause a ripple. I often think about how one customer and one person reading my words and being affected is so valuable for me.“Rome wasn’t built in a day” is another favourite from my Mum or, the Emily Wierenga quote “It just takes one person, believing in you. It just takes one person, loving on you. That's all it takes to change the world”.The quote Mel posted read"People who really want to make a difference in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I’ve noticed something about people who make a difference in the world: They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren’t determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they’re satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world." - Beth ClarkeLast Summer our little family of five along with our friends and their kids went on our own type of ‘serving’ in Glasgow. We were helping to run a kids holiday club. Something which from the outside looks smooth and a bit of a breeze. But when you get to the mechanics of it, there is so much preparation and insight involved in running a programme twice a day for over 100 children.Giving up a week of work to do the camp, cooking for a team of people in a small kitchen every night, struggling with your own kids at bedtime after a day of parachute games with the kids at the camp.You know what though? The children at the camp were at the centre of our trip and each one had their own beautiful identity. For that we loved them and we loved the act of engaging one to one with these kids. Learning from them and feeling our own sense of worth.A bit like Camilla and Jamie, when they stand serving one person a bowl of soup it is not done in a self righteous manner, it is done with love and because of love.I don’t expect you to turn into mother Teresa but the act of putting yourself second can be deal breaker in your day. I know I have spoken before about comparison being the thief of joy but it isn’t the case all of the time.Not when we look at the need on our tvs every night or in the house next door. Gratitude prevails.A coffee, a monthly check in or a simple “hello” adds value to another human. And isn’t that worth more than a thousand likes on a viral video?
“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” Ghandi
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