My First TIme

As I wreck my brain trying to figure out my 1st time doing community service, I can’t put my finger on the very FIRST time so I will go to my most distant memory…
My little sister was a Brownie. For some of you new age kids yall are gonna have to Google it! I’m with Wendy Williams when she said, “Am I getting so old or the culture changing so much that I have to explain everything I’m talking about as if I’m talk to a classroom?” She won’t do it and neither am I! Anyway, I remember her putting on her brown uniform and going to the elementary cafeteria that smelled of stale potatoes and fresh baked cookies. She would work tirelessly on trying to earn patches that she took interest in. After enduring this for some time, I decided I need to join. If my parents were going to torture me by making me sit there because it was a good way to get rid of us at the same time, I might as well join instead of being bored out of my mind!

At my age level I joined as a Junior. I remember my green uniform that still is hanging in the basement at my dad’s house on Dartmouth. What I didn’t know that once I joined there was a GREAT deal of work to do. First I had to learn the pledge which I still know to this day: “On my honor, I will try, to serve God, and my country, to help people at all times and live by the Girl Scout Law!” Then I was being drilled on the mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of Courage, Confidence, and Character, who make the world a better place. It’s amazing that I was walking in my life’s purpose at a young age, yet I didn’t recognize it… Now on to the patches…
We often were allowed to work on the patch of our choice, but our group leader said we would be doing one all together. It was a service patch and although I don’t remember the name I can tell you with a straight face that I was one of the girls probably complaining. Was the fun about to be sucked out of us? What about the patches that had to do with arts and crafts or dance, all things that tickled my fancy at that time?

Off to the homeless shelter we went. I can remember walking in like it was yesterday! “What was that smell? Why is everybody so dirty? What are they mad about? Well you know me; Ms. Life of the Party had to find out. I chose the job of taking the plates to the table. Why? Because I was going to ask those people what the deal was. One by one I asked their story and to my surprise they all wanted to tell me! That day changed my life!

After that day I went to work not only at that homeless shelter, but countless other places that had to deal with helping others! Can you remember when you FIRST HELPED someone? I want to hear about it…
God willing I’ll talk to you next time