Back in the days before I had children, I used to do things with my free time. I mean, when I wasn't at Happy Hours or sleeping off a hangover. I did community theater. I was in a wine tasting club (okay, that one was really just an excuse for more happy hours and hangovers). I volunteered through an umbrella organization that allowed you to sign up for all different kinds of short term volunteer activities. So I got to help at the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City (including sit at artists' booths while they took breaks, which was SO FUN because I got to pretend to be a talented artist), sell raffle tickets at a Royals' game, usher for a touring production of Rent and give out water and directions at the Alzheimer's Memory Walk.
That experience was one of my favorites. I don't know whether it was the great attitudes of everyone involved, the fact that this particular opportunity felt more selfless than the others or that I was doing more than the just helping an arts organization. Not that the arts don't deserve volunteers and money, but helping to find a cure Alzheimer's . . .even by just donating money and helping at a walk. . .made me feel so good.
I've been lucky in that no one in my family has had Alzheimer's, but I've seen the faces of friends after they visited grandparents who didn't remember them. And I was touched by the depiction of the disease on the show Rescue Me. So I can't wait to help again. How about you?
