“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

I never understood that quote. I thought volunteering was just about giving, but it turned out to be so much more. Volunteering helps you see what you used to miss. I never saw how people were struggling and I couldn’t see how I would be able to help them, but I started to notice the little things, and I started to realize that I could help.

Volunteering opened my eyes. 

Volunteering Virtually with Charities2Love

I have always wondered: How can volunteering make someone feel seen and heard?

As I packed snack bags with Charities2Love for those who were struggling because of homelessness and the water crisis in Grand Prairie, I made it a point to add handwritten notes to each of the bags. I spent a while staring at the notes, unsure at first of what I could say that would help. After all, what difference could words from a stranger really make? I couldn’t relate to their situation. I didn’t understand what they were going through. 

But once I started writing, words became easier. I decided I was going to do whatever I could to brighten someone’s day and make someone smile. 

I imagined people coming out of their shell and beginning to smile more as they realized how much it meant to have someone show up for them. I started to feel more connected to the people I was writing to. I thought about how they would feel when they read my note, and how much it would mean to them that someone took time to write them a handwritten note, even if it wasn’t face-to-face volunteering.

Finding Courage for In-person Volunteering

At first, I told myself writing notes was enough.

But then I realized that the feeling of being face to face with someone who needs your help is extremely powerful. Everything feels so real. It was a scary idea to think about…putting myself out there…because I was extremely shy and struggled to put myself in uncomfortable situations. I never asked for help or spoke up, and this caused me to miss out on opportunities because I was too scared to step out of my comfort zone. 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was much bigger than me. Once I got started, it became so much easier. 

Volunteering to Teach English 

Once I began volunteering in person,  I realized that I loved the feeling of being face-to-face with someone who needed help. Instead of working behind the scenes to help someone, I was able to see the people I was helping and talk to them. 

Every week for the past year, I have been helping a 13 year old girl from Ukraine improve her English skills through a platform called ENGIN. On multiple occasions, she has sent me an email saying she can’t meet due to air alarms and lockdowns.

The first time this happened I didn’t know what to do. But then I realized I needed to let her work through what was happening, so I let her lead us through the meeting. Sometimes she would choose to play games such as Word Hunt and Pictionary, and other times she would want to walk through the events from that prior week. 

Volunteering has helped me learn how to adapt to different personalities, integrate their individuality into lessons, and make sure they all feel heard. I just wanted them to know they weren’t alone—and if I could be the person who listened, even for a moment, that was enough.

Why I’ll Keep Showing Up

Charities2Love started as an easy way to rack up volunteering hours for school, but in many ways it completely shifted how I feel about volunteering. They made it feel real. I went from small school activities, to meaningful work that really reached people—because of them. It became less about the numbers and the hours and more about the people. It became about packing one snack bag, teaching one new English word, writing one kind note, and showing up for one more person. 

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

A quote that once felt unrelatable now makes so much more sense to me. Why? Because I understand it now.

Meet the author:

Meghna is an upcoming sophmore who loves running, reading, playing tennis, and baking.  Charities2Love awarded her Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award earlier this year, and is grateful for her spirit of service to help others and local nonprofits like ours.