Hello, everyone.
Welcome to my blog and another wonderful edition of the Hive Learner's featured post. Giving back to the community is one thing a lot of people find very difficult to do because they feel there are people whose job is to do so and for that reason don't like to participate in anything that has to do with giving back to the community. I used to be one of those people who felt others should do the job while I enjoyed the benefits of their hard work despite growing up under a father who loved giving back to the community.
I was one of those who would never show up for community work; I did not like the idea of it and always avoided and dodged it, and the only way to get me to be involved in a community is when forced, but I will never volunteer on my own. I used to feel like if everyone else saw it and failed to do it, then why should I be the one who does it differently? But that mentality was wrong, and I was able to see reasons why that was really wrong of me, and I wish I knew the importance of giving back to the community on time.
Along the line my father got me on his side; in 2021 or so I traveled to the village to meet him, and I saw him put a shovel in the trunk of his car, and I was left wondering where he wanted to take it to or what he had in mind, and then he asked me to follow him. Just at the entrance to the village was a big pothole before the bridge, and this man decided to be the one to fill it; he had not been to the village in years, only to come back and be the one filling potholes while others kept dodging it. Not even the youths in the community thought about getting it filled. I was a bit angry that he did not tell me what he had in mind, and if I had known, I would not have agreed to follow him because every other person sees the pothole and avoids it; others act like they don't know that it exists.
While I kept complaining and grumbling, he said "don't be like everybody else, try to standout and make a difference. You will never know the impact your actions can have on someone's life." It really did not make sense until a driver came home about 4 days later to appreciate my dad; he said his car tire burst just before the bridge, and then another car was coming in the opposite direction. Normally, they always dodge that pothole, but with another car coming in the opposite direction and the condition he was in, it was impossible to do that, and because my dad had filled the pothole, he was able to maintain his lane, and if he had not, the story would have been different.
It was after this event that I was able to learn that giving back to the community is not for recognition or to get praised, but our actions, no matter how small, can actually save a life, and now I show up for community work, and I try not to miss any; as long as I hear about it, I will try to make myself available as I automatically add it to my schedule.
Images used are mine.
Your father was absolutely right about the impact our work can have on someone else's life. Just as sometimes someone else's work has a positive effect on our life, we should also do selfless work for the society. The pothole that your father created on the road could have been there, if that pothole had remained there, someone could have met with an accident. So, the work done by your father made the journey of many people better and the possibility of an accident was averted.
He was indeed right and I saw reasons to believe him.
Hey offia, I am really impressed with your work you are really doing a great job.
Thanks Chinay man.
What a selfless being, his single act will surely avert accidents, I love that appreciative driver who acknowledged his wonderful repair. Thanks to Dad for the awesome work
He used it to preach the importance of community service over and over again.
Your dad made a good action and I educate you about that, so that represents your love for you and for the community. Sometimes working or doing for a community becomes difficult because people are too busy with their own lives.
You have said it all.
Thanks for dropping by.