This Thanksgiving, I’m so grateful that we’re back in person with friends and family. Thanks to the progression in vaccines and precautionary measures, we were able to kick off the start of E-Life with two new programs this year! E-Gardening and E-Photography were born out of a need for a program that could teach life skills to both children and adults of all abilities. Three things I’m grateful for that E-Life taught me are compassion, ability to influence change, and build a sense of togetherness.
- Volunteering teaches compassion
Compassion is when you share in the pain or suffering of another person. In the article Volunteering is a Work of Heart, you can see that there is more to being a volunteer than showing up and participating in an activity. Growing up, I’m thankful that I had the pleasure of volunteering for E-Soccer (a program of E-Sports which is under the umbrella of E-Life). I learned how to share joy, challenges, and love others different from myself.
- Influence change in the community
I had the privilege of starting both new programs, E-Gardening and E-Photography, this past Spring and Summer of 2021. Personally, I love both gardening and photography because of how they help me cope with my own anxiety disorder and depression. I’ve always wanted to share these activities and lessons with others, and now I have that chance to influence change in my community.
- The togetherness of inclusion
Inclusion is all about the togetherness of groups of people different from one another. I’m grateful that by being a part of all these different programs within E-Life, it has taught me that inclusion is about walking through life and life’s challenges and differences together. Every Saturday, regardless of what program you’re in, we all get to share in a community of family and friends that share joy, laughs, and smiles together.
