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It's My Duty
By
Joan E. Thompson |
Plymouth
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People who
volunteer often consider it their responsibility or duty to
help. They share a belief or value system that includes
helping others in gratitude for what has been given to them.
But what is My Duty?
Fortunately for the rest of us, many young (and not so
young) citizens consider the military their duty – an
all-volunteer force. Even there we see disagreement when the
military objective is disputed or unclear. Yet we honor and
revere those volunteers, even if we cannot ourselves become
one. When youngsters are required to do service to earn
credits for school, church, or club membership, it is a duty
to be performed – if they want the credit. Yet the service
experience can lead to the discovery that what began as duty
is meaningful, enjoyable, and thus the object of future
endeavors without the duty-credit as a motive.
Court ordered community service may be required as an
alternative to spending time in prison for a minor civil
offense. The service is a duty; the service provider an
often unwilling one. But hopefully the experience can lead
the reluctant helper to more positive behaviors, without the
duty motive.
There’s nothing wrong with helping out of a sense of duty.
But for those who mobilize volunteers, the longer lasting
motive may go beyond a sense of duty. Do we provide an
experience with a clear sense of purpose, accomplishment,
and genuine appreciation for the influence brought by each
volunteer? If so, they will likely return as much and as
often as they can. And that goes for volunteers
whether led by another volunteer or a staff person.
Duty may be what gets us started – and thank goodness, it
does! But to keep any mission alive, we must work towards it
with a clear vision for what is to be done, consistent
effort and support, and respect for everyone in the effort.
This Fourth of July and after, look around at your family,
your neighborhood, and your Nation. What still needs doing –
to keep the vision alive and strong, to be consistent in our
effort to improve communities, and
where can respect be shown more clearly? From the smallest
situation to our Nation’s policies, we all share
responsibility for keeping the vision, sharing the tasks,
and respecting each other.
It’s our duty! |
About The Author
Joan
Thompson is the Executive Director for Mayflower RSVP, Inc.,
a nonprofit organization mobilizing Volunteer Service
Activities in Plymouth County. She has directed RSVP’s
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program for nearly 30 years. She
may be contacted by calling (508) 746-7787 or via email at
MayflowerRSVP@Verizon.net.
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