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So... we didn't plant trees, we just cleaned up and put down some new mulch. Saturday was terrible weather, but I made it out with Million Trees NYC anyhow. It was nothing but misty rain --enough to be annoying, but when I recieved an email thanking me for "braving the weather" it sounded like a challenge. I wanted so badly to roll over in bed but, instead, I threw on my trench coat and did what I said I would do. I'd signed up for this volunteer activity for a couple reasons:
- I needed to do something that wasn't totally self-absorbed.
This was my first solo volunteer thing. This was an ultimate testament of working outside of myself & by myself. Everyone there seemed to have showed up with someone. The truth is, every time I sign up for something, I write down East Brook Family because, not only does it sound good, but they've shown me tremendous love in a hood that's not my own. So... cleaning up some trees was sort of my way of giving back. Still, I knew I wasn't getting the guys up at 10am on a Saturday to shovel mulch lol. I let them live. The most interesting part of volunteering/philanthropy is that everyone has their own preference about what they'd like to do, what they consider valuable and what they find most enjoyable. The way to get people to participate is to do different things. Whoever joins, joins. Whoever doesn't can wait until something they like comes up. I've got soccer with the kids and arts with the kids lined up (I secretly love kids) but this particular Saturday was going to be spent with Mrs. Earth.
