With the holiday season here, I recall the many events and volunteer positions I participated in to celebrate the season and community. Church, non-profit and business gatherings, all requiring organization and enthusiasm. Hard work to celebrate the spirit of Life.

 My greatest joy in life has been in volunteering my efforts to help the greater good. I attest that giving yourself with love is addictive, rewarding and a great way to connect. It is my greatest joys to contribute to the world and grow with all that surrounds me.

Volunteer work started as a requirement to complete high school and the opportunity taught me about the abundance of love that exists when you’re willing to give. For me, it was a step towards acceptance because it encouraged me to share myself regardless of epilepsy and proved that a disability is not an incapability. Giving built my sense of self-worth, connected me to others and offered new dreams. Nothing beats the love I feel when I’m told someone who volunteered with me remembers who I am twenty years later. Volunteer work didn’t build me an empire, it gave me experience, love and accomplishment.