by Jessie Rockhill
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Muhatma Gandhi
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Muhatma Gandhi
For as long as I can remember, my mom has been encouraging me to be a change in the world. Aside from her brown hair and incessant love for mystery novels, my mother also gave me her passion for people.
After being followed around for years at bowl-a-thons and food drives by a little girl in jelly shoes and a side ponytail, my mother eventually helped me start my own volunteer group in my senior year of high school. I gathered a bunch of band students and asked them to put down their mouthpieces and drumsticks for a day and pick up some gloves and shovels instead.
As I’m sure anyone who has ever dealt with teenagers will understand, I half expected my ideas to be met with torches and pitchforks. Asking someone from my generation to give up some of their own time is no easy feat, particularly with a mere promise of personal satisfaction in return.
Much to my surprise, there was a lot of interest in volunteering at our local soup kitchen. And then a lot of interest in Habitat for Humanity and then volunteering at all the nursing homes in the area. We eventually called ourselves "The Rhythm of Character."
A lot has changed over the past 5 years, but watching this group make a difference in our community is something I will never forget! Today I realize that helping others actually changed our lives, and watching that happen changed my life forever.
This revelation has led me to the JCC, which has been improving the lives of others for almost 100 years.
There are so many ways to make a difference in someone’s life, right here in Indianapolis. Without even realizing it, you’ll change your life too!
And many, many more!
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What a wonderful example. Thank you, Jessie.
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