When my daughter hit six months old, I found myself in a cozy routine of morning walks, mom and daughter talk, breastfeeding and mushy food preparation. Life was good. I was no longer worrying about document deadlines or preparing Powerpoint presentations. I had traded in my lipstick for zinc cream, my cute laptop tote for an oversized diaper bag.
I was reaching the half-way point of my mat leave and already began stressing about going back to work. The anxiety was not born out of a lack of confidence to take on the double-duty. The truth was, I feared that I had lost a good chunk of intelligence the day my daughter was born. I must have pushed it right out. My academic mind had turned to mush, much like the lunch I was preparing for little Molly.
I needed a boost. A serious brain boost.
I received an email from a volunteer committee responsible for organizing a gala that raises funds for Canadian authors. I had helped them out the previous year. This was it. This was my pass into the outside world, to talk to people uninterested in organic cotton breast pads.
The first meeting, I showed up 45 minutes early. A little eager. Sitting among fellow volunteers, I looked down on my all-black outfit and noticed that I could have probably used that extra time to scrub away the baby barf I was wearing in a Pollock-inspired streak on my skirt. People around the table talked about the latest news and the hype on Parliament Hill. Hmm. There were no segues to the real news of the day: my daughter pooping four times in two hours that very morning. I took notes in a brand new notebook with a pen that I miraculously found buried in my purse in a lovely puddle of yesterday’s bottle. Sure, I may not have said much in that initiation meeting, but I walked away knowing that this was exactly what I was missing.
Each meeting that followed served as progress for me. With more meetings under my belt, I was experiencing a boost to my confidence. I began to feel stronger. More balanced. Volunteering offered me a flexible opportunity to explore the world of event-planning all over again. It allowed me to network with the intelligent, the creative, and the connected people of my fine city.
Looking for an opportunity like this doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Not sure where to start your search? Call your local volunteer centre. They can connect you with an opportunity that is right for you and your schedule. Canadians are a compassionate bunch, there is a lot happening out there for volunteers.
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