Service-Learning VIP: Theresa

 

I suppose the most poignant of my service-learning experience occurred last autumn when I was volunteering at a homeless convention.

There, I was handing out name-tags to volunteers, and a girl my age approached me in sweats. I started to get her name tag ready and asked her what organization or school she was with, but she stopped me and told me instead that she was homeless, and just wondering where to go.

I was completely blown away. By looking at her it wasn't obvious that she was on her own, that her problems were any more severe than my own. But before me was a young woman who had been on this Earth as long as I had—and though I do not claim to have lived a perfect or easy life—yet I could not even begin to try to relate to her. My biggest worry was my upcoming physics mid-term, while she just wanted to find food and stay warm.

I don't know how much I personally helped her that day—and I doubt she remembers me—but she is someone I will never forget, because through her, I realized that no matter how much work is done towards bettering the world, there is always more-- you can't fix every problem, not at once and maybe not even in one life-time. Some people may take this as a depressing thought, but to me it is inspiring. It is something that you can spend your entire life trying to fix. Whereas other career paths may not survive the new millennium, service is always required.

- Theresa H., Otterbein University, class of 2013