My time is my most precious commodity and I try to guard it well. Since I am acutely aware that there are so many people who have given their time and teaching to me, I resolved many years ago to give as much back as I could, while keeping my life in balance. Recently I have begun to realize that there are many interesting volunteering opportunities.
Retired executives and businessmen do a wonderful job giving business advice. This is invaluable to people trying to start up in business, save a faltering business, or learn the things that experience, not most textbooks, can teach. People with math skills are invaluable as treasurers of non-profits, like churches, charitable organizations, and in assisting seniors, as well as others. Hospice, emotionally painful for most, has 400,000 volunteers in America.
Non-scientists can represent research subjects as community representatives on research boards. The list of possibilities requires only willingness on the part of the volunteer to share their time and talents. It is an 'everyone wins' situation. There would be far less boredom in the world if people believed that no one is without the capacity to make life easier for others by taking bit of time out of their own.
Being with others, vicariously experiencing the gratitude felt by recipients, opportunity to meet vibrant people, continued contact in settings where learning gets shared, and other wonderful reasons for volunteering exist. Take a bite of the apple that helps keep the doctor away and gives so much to so many others.
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