The loud and obnoxious squawking of crows used to bother me. I am generally a quiet person who likes to grab a book, find an empty noise-free area to sit at and read for hours at a time. I still cherish times when my environment is completely quiet. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why I like living in a suburban, relatively quiet town, like Los Gatos.
However, as I’ve grown older, I’ve mellowed. I don’t let things disturb me quite as much as I used to, although while most people perceive me as a totally calm person, I remain somewhat tightly coiled internally. The calm outer image comes from years of having to deal with hysterical or distraught divorce clients. One can imagine how these clients would react if I too was in visibly obvious panic mode as we entered the courtroom.
But, getting back to this cawing crow thing, when I hear them doing their noise making these days, I often think of clatter makers, who love to complain about this or that situation, but rather than do something about their issue du jour, they squawk. There is, however, another way to be, which I am pleased to tell you about.
This past summer, Lissa Kreisler (yes, that Lissa Kreisler; the former KBAY star and my dear mate) and I became chairpersons of our Rotary Club’s Community Service Projects and Grants Committee.
With the help of a dynamic (uncomplaining and enthusiastic) group of volunteers, we’ve participated in school bike rodeos, to teach middle school children bike safety, stuffed and distributed hundreds of bags of basic necessities to give to homeless and other needy people via Catholic Charities, stuffed hundreds of backpacks with school supplies for needy children through Pacific Clinics, and provided meals to parents of children who are being treated for cancer and other very serious conditions at local hospitals, through a program at JW House.
Many people would love to volunteer in one way or another, and indeed there are many ways to help out
The parents get housing or other support from JW House and volunteers like us bring in meals to feed them. Our Rotary club has also contributed money to some of these charitable endeavors.
We’re not done quietly working to make a difference. Other pending volunteer projects include collaborating with the Red Cross on a blood drive, helping to distribute food to needy people at Pay Pal Park through Hunger at Home, serving meals to the needy and homeless at Thanksgiving time, and distributing essential items to victims of domestic violence through Grateful Garment.
Many people would love to volunteer in one way or another, and indeed there are many ways in which people can help. Perhaps the fact that so many volunteer opportunities exist is a problem. One can imagine being overwhelmed by the possibilities.
It reminds me of what happens when I go into a department store. The vastness of the stores and the multiplicity of choices overwhelm me to the point where I become paralyzed and unable to buy anything. Okay, perhaps not completely analogous but you get the idea; choosing what to do and how to help can be a daunting task.
To help with this problem, our Community Health and Senior Services Commission is seeking to create an online volunteer HUB, where prospective volunteers can review the volunteer opportunities existing in or near our community. Of course, joining Rotary is another great way to get involved. I’ve been amazed at the variety of volunteer opportunities Rotary offers. I guess this makes sense, given that it is the biggest service provider organization in the world.
When I think about the joy and satisfaction that comes from helping others, it’s easy to see why the cawing crows don’t bother me as much anymore. In fact, sometimes when I hear them squawking, I think of the people we’ve helped and the positive impact we’ve had on their lives. And that makes me smile.
It’s true that the world can be a noisy, often brutally violent, and chaotic place. But it’s also a place where we can make a difference. By volunteering our time and resources to help others, we can not only make a positive impact on our communities, but we can also find a sense of purpose and fulfillment. So, the next time you hear a crow squawking, remember that many people are doing something about the noise in their lives.
And they’re making a difference.
