The Trouble With Doing Something for Nothing (or why it sucks to be a volunteer)

There are two types of people in the world, those who volunteer and those who don't. I am one of the former, and I've been a former-volunteer many times over.

People volunteer for a number of reasons - it could be that they have a kid on a team, they might have a soft spot for a certain organization or charity, they may choose to volunteer as a matter of principle or to effect change in a certain arena, and some volunteer because they're roped into it.

Whatever the reason is for a person's volunteer status, you can be damn sure that at some point the time will come when that person steps back, dramatically delivers palm to forehead, and asks himself, "What the hell was I thinking?" Sometimes this reaction comes as a realization that the battle can't be won, sometimes it comes out of sheer exhaustion from endless giving, but frequently it comes as a result of criticism - criticism from the people who don't volunteer.

I know this well because time and time again I've been the one shooting palm to forehead, enough times, in fact, that I now bear a concave dent the shape of my miniscule mitt right above my eyebrows. The funny thing about it, though, the thing that really gets me, is that I don't seem to learn! I swear off volunteering, promise myself that enough is enough, decree that it's high time I start trying to make myself happy instead of pleasing everyone else. And for a month, or maybe 6, I skirt around "opportunities" of a voluntold nature.

6 months, I think, is a record, because I'm a Scorpio and that means I hold strong to principle. When I get an idea that something needs to change I act on it. After all, if you don't try to offer a solution you have no right to complain. Right?

Tell that to the non-volunteers, the people who complain about what you're doing, how you're doing it, insist that they could do it better, and then stomp all over your character because you ever had the nerve to even try. These people have become the bane of my existence. It's no wonder that fewer and fewer people offer up their sevices and time for free - not only is it a pain in the ass; you might as well paint a target on your ass, and your forehead while you're at it.

I'd like to say that I'm done. Fini. I'll volunteer no more. And this time I'd like to think I mean it. But there are trails to be built, there are employee rights to protect, there are folks who'd like to learn to ride bikes but don't have resources to pay. There are kids at risk who need decent role models. There are causes that need skills I can provide. And there are lots of people who can't be bothered to offer up anything but their criticism and opinion. We all know that as long as there are plenty of that type, there'll be less and less volunteers exponentially. Eventually even the suckers like me will say "Enough" and unlike the non-volunteers, I can't say I'd blame them.

There are two types of people in the world, those who can't say no and those who won't ever stop. I guess I'm glad to be one of the former, no matter how aggravating and frustrating it can be. I may not be accomplishing much but I'm damn well trying. That's more than I can say for a lot of people, so how about shutting up and letting me do my thing. Maybe we'll both be happier in the long run.