Occasionally, I share something personal and hope you don’t mind if I do that just now. Back in late February I lost my beloved Faux (pictured). Despite my telling one and all that I knew that day would come, I was far from prepared for the loss. In my “depression,” I took time off from my volunteer work at Baylor’s Animal Assisted Therapy Program. It just hurt too much to return to a program that Faux had introduced me to.
Big mistake!
Yesterday was my first day back at AATP with Nellie (pictured) at my side. It was like breathing for the first time in months. Seeing and visiting with the patients and staff was gratifying to say the very least. Hearing patients talk about their pets that they hadn’t seen in days, and in some cases months, made me realize that Nellie was the canine fix they needed. One person admitted that they hadn’t had a dog since they were a child and recalled the most endearing details of that long-ago friend.
So what was the lesson here? Just when you think you’re doing someone else a favor, you realize that in reality you are doing yourself the favor. Volunteering is a two-way street. Not only do you help others, but you help yourself to be part of a much bigger and better effort.
While you know I will always regret my loss of Faux, I am so grateful that she introduced me to volunteering and the remarkable people in that universe.