Service is hard. I’ve reflected a lot about why I’m drawn to do service. It was a question my parents asked before I told them I applied every service trip in high school and two years ago the question was asked again when I applied for this fellowship. However I haven’t been able to fully put into words this yearning to help others and to do more. Today however sitting at St Lucy’s I’ve been thinking about some truths I’ve learned about service. Veritas number one: service isn’t easy and although it can be sometimes, it always is not the case. Service is messy. The work I do at st Lucy’s is sometimes very messy and sometimes I question if I’m really helping by being here.
It’s a question that’s always bothered me what “counts” as service. I’ve pestered my sisters for wanting to do trips to save turtles, claiming that “that isn’t real service” as if I have any place in quantifying service. My definition of service is giving of ones self to help benefit another. So basically any act of giving oneself, to that definition, is an act of service.
As St Francis said, it is in giving that we receive and he was correct. Most days of my fellowship are filled with giving to St Lucy’s 100% of my effort and in turn what I am receiving is validation from the children in a smile, sometimes a hug.
Through this fellowship thus far, I’m learning to become more patient, more kind, and more understanding. I’m learning to become a better Catholic. And I’m learning to become a better person. This fellowship has not always been easy and I never expected it to be. Every day there are new challenges and every day I’m learning more. I think that this fellowship in terms of timing is just what I needed. Entering my senior year, I am not excited for I know that the end of college is near and I have no idea what the future will hold for me. I have bigs plans and have no way of knowing what will happen. However I do know that I have a solid foundation of faith that will be there regardless of what the future has in store for me.