Plato asserted that if you love your friends and love your partner, you love your community – the people who helped make you who you are. Humans have come a long way since Ancient Greece, but one of the most staggering differences, according to the 20th Century thinker Hanna Arendt, is the fact that humans now have less of a public community. People are far more individualist, which can make people feel discontented – when you spend your life connected with other people, relying on each other for different things, you tend to feel more fulfilled. If you want that satisfied feeling, a great way to get it is to give back to your community. Luckily, doing just that isn’t too hard – here are some ideas:
Do Some Volunteering at a Shelter
Your community probably has a shelter of
some kind, whether it’s a shelter for the homeless or an animal shelter for
unwanted dogs and cats. Helping out at a shelter whenever you have some free
time is greatly appreciated by everybody there and can make you feel a sense of
belonging as you help those who need your help and interact with people that
you might not normally get a chance to speak to. You’ll find you’re spending
quality time helping others.
Organize a Sale for Charity
Whether it’s a garage sale or whether you
want to try your hand at designing some t-shirts, organizing a sale for a local
charity or organization that really needs it is both fun, fulfilling and can
help you connect with your community more. You can both donate the proceeds and
any items that didn’t sell, making it a great idea regardless of your skills as
a salesperson.
Start a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser
There are so many good charities that need
your help, and one of the ways the big charities recommend you get helping is
through a peer-to-peer fundraiser. This can include creating your own
fundraiser for doing something special like a tough run or even just for your
birthday. The Red
Cross recommends many
different peer-to-peer methods, including raising money through playing your
favorite games!
Join the Community Garden
Many communities have a garden – if yours
has one too, you can consider getting involved. Whether that’s having your own
plot or volunteering to make sure that the garden stays in good shape, it’s a
good way to feel connected to your environment and community. You can even
donate any vegetables that you produce – locally
grown veg tastes better and is far better for the environment.
Get Your Pet Involved
Do you have a pet? Do they love attention
and making people happy? If they make
you happy, they
probably can help other people too. If your pet is up to it, you can take them
to community centers where people might not have a pet but might be grateful
for the chance to interact with yours! Good ideas are senior centers or
veteran’s clubs, even hospitals or hospices if they allow you in!
