For those of you who know me well, you appreciate how much I enjoy volunteer work to help those in need, so I am especially excited that April 21 through April 27 is National Volunteer Week. Points of Light, a volunteer organization, established National Volunteer Week in 1974. This program “is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change—discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference.”
What a lovely thought for us this week: You are a Point of Light—a Lightworker! You may recall from one of my previous posts that Lightworkers honor life as an expression of love, not fear; we may also have spiritual gifts, such as heightened intuition or healing abilities. But, most important, we are here to help others embrace their own enlightenment and gain an understanding of their own authentic and true spiritual self. We love social causes, and what better way to express our love than by helping others to see life more positively through our volunteer efforts?
I embraced the concept of “You are a Point of Light” a few years ago when I volunteered for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. While I had volunteered my time in the past for many other charities, this would be a yearlong commitment. After careful consideration, I finally made the decision to mentor a child. I signed the paperwork and anxiously awaited the program’s decision on which child I would be matched with. At first I had wanted a young child—perhaps because I never had children—but much to my surprise, I was matched with a 16-year-old girl!
At first, I was disappointed with the decision, but I finally realized, “Shari, just go meet with her and see if this makes sense for you!” And, thankfully, I listened to the Universe, because I was definitely pointed in the right direction. As it turned out, we could not have been more perfectly matched for each other.
If I had not allowed things to happen the way God intended, I would have missed out on one of the most amazing years of my life. Brianna and I were ideal for each other—and I could not have been more blessed to be part of her life. And the best part was that, on our last day together, Brianna told me she too looked forward to being a volunteer for Big Brother Big Sister someday. Blinking back tears of joy, I hugged her.
This week, I say with great enthusiasm, “You are a Point of Light!” Today you can choose to help a thousand people see God’s light—or perhaps just one with your volunteer work. Feel God’s light shining within you and take a step to inspire someone else to shine. As you share this vision today with just one soul, your Light will reach a thousand lives that touch ten thousand more.
The Light in me thinks the Light in you is truly awesome. XO Shari
1 thought on “National Volunteer Week: You Are A Point Of Light”
Lovely blog and a great reminder about how much we are all an integral part of the jigsaw of our communities. I have been housebound for a number of years but I still do what I can to help others, to make an impact. We all have to own our light and share our light