I realized that homemakers have a 'built-in' ability few
businessmen have. Homemakers are naturally master jugglers.
They can pick up, drop, go back to, and handle a number of
things simultaneously.
CHAPTER TWO
GIVING AND TAKING
PART II
Volunteering
Being a volunteer has been a life-long, exciting,
fulfilling, and challenging career. It started with my
working for a local education organization, as well as for a
national organization helping those suffering from cerebral
palsy.
I learned that the last thing anyone needs, especially those
working hard to overcome their handicaps, is to have someone
pity them. This makes well-meaning efforts ineffective, if
not counterproductive.
I saw, firsthand, examples of courage, perseverance and the
will to make life meaningful. One young man lacked hand
coordination, and had difficulty speaking. This prevented
him from doing any creative writing, which he so much wanted
to do.
He suggested I tape a pencil to his big toe, with the eraser
away from him. After repeated attempts over many months, he
was finally punching the keys of a typewriter with the
eraser. He was bursting with joy. His smile could have lit
up a dark room. The world was his, because he could now
express himself and communicate with others. I shared his
joy, but only he who suffered and worked so hard to achieve
this success, could experience and reap the greatest reward.
I enjoyed working with adults, and learning how
organizations function. I saw the many kinds of work
necessary to make them operable, from inception -- the
desire to meet a need -- to fruition. This includes creating
an organizational framework, developing policy and programs,
raising money, administering, developing operating
procedures such as information storage and retrieval, public
relations, procurement, manpower, and more, depending on the
nature of the work being done.
As a volunteer, I found that program development, management
analysis, and administration, were things that brought me
much satisfaction and success. Most important, however, was
the fulfillment I got in knowing, and sometimes seeing, how
our efforts were helping others.
Because I was fortunate in having first hand experience,
from entry-level positions to that of president and board
member, in local, national and international organizations,
I could appreciate the many similarities and transferable
skills involved in running a home and in running an
organization, such as working with various, and sometimes
conflicting personalities; facing time restrictions; having
unexpected emergencies and interruptions; having limited
funds that affect the quality of products or services; and
resolving and preventing problems and utilizing resources
wisely.
I realized that homemakers have a 'built-in' ability few
businessmen have. Homemakers are naturally master jugglers.
They can pick up, drop, go back to, and handle a number of
things simultaneously.
For example, at the same time: the phone rings, someone
knocks on the door, the baby in the crib starts crying,
something is ready to boil over on the stove, and the three-
year-old comes in bleeding and crying from having fallen on
the sidewalk outside.
The homemaker instantly prioritizes and attends to each in
turn. I believe our Creator endowed women with this special
strength so they can accomplish their multitude of chores
successfully, and without losing their minds.
A president or chief executive officer of a large business
has a number of people in his employ to help him, such as a
receptionist, secretary, bookkeeper, accountant, purchasing
agents, those monitoring quality control, as well as those
responsible for program development, management, manpower,
budget, and so on.
A homemaker carries out her responsibilities without a staff
of professionals to assist her. She is her husband's friend,
mate, and helper. She is responsible for keeping her home
clean and neat, doing the laundry, bearing and raising
children, planning, shopping, and preparing meals.
She mends, sews, gives first-aid, juggles the budget, does
basic repairs, makes and keeps appointments for family
members, purchases clothing, household items, and more. She
runs errands (post office, bank, etc.), plans menus,
schedules and activities, works in or outside the home to
provide income, and helps others in the community in a
variety of ways.
The decision-making, prioritizing, calculating,
coordinating, consolidating, supervising, teaching,
creating, assisting, mediating, enforcing, supporting, and
just plain doing, that homemakers accomplish day after day,
as they juggle their roles of wife, mother, friend,
housekeeper, volunteer, paid employee, and more, can
constitute an impressive resume in the business world.
Another interesting volunteer job came my way shortly after
becoming Torah observant. I met a rabbi who asked me to help
him organize the putting together of 5,000 shaloch
manos for Jewish people in nursing homes, and for
children in the Hebrew day schools, for the upcoming Purim
holiday. These gift-wrapped baskets or packages consisted of
different types of food, such as nuts, fresh or dried fruit,
candy, chocolates, cookies, cake, wine, or grape juice.
When this project was completed, he invited me to attend a
meeting with those volunteers who helped him present a
weekly radio program which was aired every Sunday morning on
various Jewish topics and relevant current events. He wanted
me to see if there was anything I would like to contribute
to the show's agenda on a regular basis.
As a result, for a year, every Sunday, I gave short
biographies on past and present rabbis and Sages. I enjoy
researching and learning about some of our special leaders.
Working at the radio station was fun, and informative.
Before the holidays, I would also give tips or recipes on
food pertinent to that time.
Thanks to my being a volunteer in various types of
organizations, I have developed new skills, sharpened
others, and become aware of personal aptitudes and abilities
that I had been unaware of before.
It has always been a good feeling to know that whatever the
position or organization, my caring and input could make a
difference. Volunteers have that opportunity all the time!
When I first became a volunteer, I mistakenly thought that I
was giving, and those to whom I was giving were receiving. I
soon learned that I receive far more than anything I give.
Originally I was grateful to Hashem that I was able to give,
rather than to receive. Now I am grateful to Hashem for all
I receive as well as for all I am able to give.
It could partly be midah keneged midah that because of
my extensive volunteer experiences, Hashem saw to it that,
in 1975, after recently being divorced, and needing to
support my younger son, Louis, and myself (Steven was
already on his own), I was offered the position of in-house
management analyst by a corporation with a twenty-eight
million dollar annual budget. This was in spite of the fact
that I did not have the MA in business administration
normally required for this position.
As I grow older, I hear people who have raised their
families, and are maybe retired or working less, complain
that they do not know what to do with their time or
themselves. They are bored, or don't feel needed.
I strongly suggest volunteering as a very good way to
address these concerns. There are so many people and
organizations in need of others' expertise, kindness and
time. There is bound to be at least one person or
organization that's agreeable to an individual's available
time and interests. One can have as much or as little to do
as one wishes. One will feel needed and more. And it is a
great way to make friends. Everyone benefits. It is a
winning combination!
From the start, and throughout the years, I have always been
amply repaid for my time and services, with the priceless
feeling of happiness and fulfillment that I receive. The
saying "The more you give, the more you get" is no better
exemplified than in helping others.
Being a volunteer is one of the things I am most proud of,
and hopefully, it will help me when my merits and demerits
are being measured before the Heavenly Tribunal.
