Ventura County
The event started with some mis-haps… as all good things should :)
We got there late because of a misleading Yahoo map and noone answering the phone at the Rescue Mission. All the “new” volunteers were ahead of us. When we reached Rescue Mission, the volunteer coordinator was not there, and the other gentlemen there had no idea who “Be the Cross?” was, and what to do with us. Luckily they had enough turkeys, potatoes and onions and kiwis in the kitchen to keep us occupied.
It was a pleasure working with all of you, and getting to know you a little more. I think we all got along quite harmoniously. Each of us represented a different nationality/ethnic background yet there we all were, united for the purpose of doing good, as Sukh very comically put it “one deformed kiwi at a time.” Aside from whatever work we did, the fact that we were all together, sends message to all those who saw us, and spoke with us. I think the people who spoke to us enjoyed that experience and we learned a lot from their experiences. Listening is a habit we should all develop and improve upon.
Chi, I’m sorry you missed the after party at my house. We all went back and ate the same leftovers from lunch and had a good time with the pet cockatiels, and learning to eat rice with our hands in the tradition of the Indo-subcontinent.
I thought the event worked out very well. Sometimes I wonder if there is an initiation process that I honestly think the universe puts everyone through. I remember us getting lost and late for one of the very first compassion cells we did in Orange County. That time, there were actually three/fours cars following each other and I just remember making all kinds of u-turns everywhere. Lets also not even talk about what happens at the Walk for Hope in the wee hours of the mornings: car accidents, trucks getting stuck in mud, setting up the stage in the wrong parking lot… looking back I sense some humor as well as some disbelief. A friend of mine today reminded me that its not about the specific circumstance in life, but about how we deal with them that matters.
Things tend to work out sometimes.
I’ve learned that things don’t have to be perfect.
We’re not perfect, we’re doing service and this is a process. That was a
big lesson for me, since obviously, I can be a little neurotic.
Coordination is not easy, that’s why at the end I’m always surprised by the
way people pull together and make things work — because they want it to
work. We make the best of our day no matter what, and always go home
feeling good! At least, I do. I guess that’s what’s great about this being
a completely volunteer-run organization….we’re all just going to do
whatever we want anyway. =D just kidding….well, maybe it is true in that
if people are really ready to do service, they’ll find a way, and others
will always be there to give them something to do….if that makes sense.
Anyway, cheers Aena! Great job! Good times, good people. Viva Ventura!!