Community service is all about enjoying the time spent while helping others. One of my favorite community service organizations is Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels delivers food to elders who struggle with certain areas in life making it difficult for them to prepare daily meals. Being able to visit elders and bring them food is a touching experience. My favorite part is the stories they tell.

Every time I walk up to a house I am nervous but excited to meet the new face that comes to the door. Although some may not be welcoming people, most of the time they are amazed to see a minor bring them their meal. I normally go inside and the first thing I notice is the clean smell of a home that had many memories made in it. The stories that they tell are endless and it’s amazing to see how each part of the house has a different story. I love listening to their soft voices give detail throughout each story and hearing about their adventurous past. I will always remember one lady who changed the way I look at life. She came to the door with a smile on her face. It got even bigger once she noticed me, a young girl delivering her meal. She welcomed me in and asked me to set the meals on the counter. She then began telling me about her husband who had passed away from a sickness and how she missed him but knew he was in a better place. There were countless pictures surrounding the room with her and her husband and several grandchildren. She explained to me how they both had their own chair they would sit in. She continued to explain the adventures they went on and how much she missed him when he was away at war but knew he was going to come back. Looking at the room you could see the love her and her husband had for each other and their personalities. Her chair was small but strong and had the look of a leader. Her husband’s chair was short and bulky but looked extremely comfortable. It reminded me of the movie Up, and the two main characters and the life they spent together. I was touched by the woman who opened up her life with me. As I was saying goodbye she told me that life is too short to let things fly by. She told me she was grateful to see a teenager out delivering meals and that she appreciated me for serving the community.

It’s not normal to hear people say they appreciate you helping. I know I don’t volunteer to get praised; I do it because I want to. I deliver meals to elders because I want to hear new stories and meet inspiring people. I have learned to enjoy the small things in life and not take volunteering as a job but as an opportunity to change the lives of others and teach them that they are an individual who deserves as much as everyone else. Meals on Wheels is my favorite organization because of the amazing elders I am given the opportunity to interact with and put a smile on their face.