I want my life to matter. I have found that, hiding behind my trauma, was a person with gifts and unique abilities. As I do the work to find myself in love and light, I’m discovering that I get the most joy when I share my talents, gifts, and abilities with others on their journey to become whole. This year, I began serving the Pachamama community as a retreat volunteer. This work inspired me to think about the beauty of serving. Serving is not saving! For me, it’s an opportunity to tap into my gifts and passions as a way to build my own self-confidence, energy, and strength. Â
Serving allows me to be part of a community. Communities are like human bodies. Just like our bodies are made of many parts serving specific functions, communities are made up of people with different skills and abilities. Alone these pieces aren’t very useful, but together we create something beautiful. At the last retreat I volunteered at, I made a huge pot of soup. Folks were incredibly hungry and stopped in the kitchen to ‘taste test.’ They then began adding a bit of salt, a bit of pepper, a little Italian spice, etc. When it was served, it was truly a community soup!Â
Serving gets me out of my comfort zone. When I move out of my comfort zones, I realize new potentials that I never thought I had. Through opportunities that create fear, I can now experience the universe at work…opening doors without pushing me through them.
Serving allows me to experience joy and peace. When serving, my focus shifts off of myself and onto others. Today, I recognize the fine line between martyrdom and generosity. However, my martyr days are long behind me! I find serving is a form of celebration, a way to express gratitude for what the universe has blessed me with and to share the love and grace I’ve been given. Â
Serving is healing. For me, serving and healing go hand in hand. As I help others find healing, I am healed in return…receiving much more than I gave.
Erin Sorenson