What do I get out of it?

This question was asked of me: What do I get out of hospice volunteering?

I get to meet people like Fred and Cecil and Dorothy, and their families. I get to hear their stories, if they want to tell them, and I get an opportunity to keep a part of them with me when they’re gone, an amazing gift that I’ll always have wherever I go, whatever I do. I get to know that my life isn’t all about numbers and taxes and doing things that in the end don’t amount to much. I get the opportunity to help people when I’m most needed, and that helps me too.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that mean the most, because they’re not little after all. Letting someone know that even at the end of their life they’re valued helps me as much as it does them. A few hours a week can change a life. Mine.