I will resume posting new chapters from Flawed Genius on September 7, 2025.
This is an everyman's update of Scott Peck's "The Road Less Traveled." Peck's book, published in 1978, is widely considered a masterpiece. It explores how we confront and solve problems.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
DO COMMUNITY SERVICE
Giving Frees Us
Many of us go through periods when we feel stuck in a rut. The kind of rut does not matter. When I put my life on autopilot—which I do periodically—I reach a point where I can no longer live with myself unless I change my approach. Most of us go through cycles of activity and rest, which we can identify if we look closely. Shifting from rest into activity can happen smoothly, can be a challenging and sudden transition, or may drag on uncomfortably for a long time.
For me, a rut is when I stall shifting from a rest phase into full-throated living. If you struggle with a dull routine and cannot find a solution, consider doing some community service that is appropriate for you. Like any new adventure, you may need to try more than one option before finding what is right for your situation.
What good does community service do? Look around. Some people are more lost than you. If you take the time and put in effort, you may make a difference in another person's life. You could make a difference in your own life, too. Sooner or later, you will feel the reward that comes from giving.
When I lived in San Francisco and was unable to earn a living, I was in a counseling program that required me to do some volunteer work. Before that time, I would help a friend without hesitation, but did not consider community service.
I spent eighteen months helping out at The Foundation for San Francisco's Architectural Heritage. The staff at this nonprofit agency worked hard to support San Francisco's efforts to retain its historical integrity. The staff was very appreciative of my office support. Being a part of their efforts helped me feel useful and productive. I also felt lighter by shifting my attention away from my health problems.
After my grandparents passed away, my father told me how, during his adolescence, he, his brother, and sister would make jokes every year when their parents disappeared on their wedding anniversary. The kids presumed their parents were sneaking off to make whoopee. My father learned from a family friend that my grandparents had spent each anniversary day delivering baskets of food to the people in our small town who could not afford to feed their families.
Giving frees us from self-involvement. Often, when we let go of a problem and relax, a solution appears, sometimes in a surprising way.
Not sure where to begin? Look in the phonebook, which means using Google for most of us today. I found twenty-five listings on Yelp under “Best Volunteer Opportunities in Honolulu, Hawaii.” However many you see in your area, reach out to one or more of them. A phone call and a visit will help you decide if a situation is right for you, and allow the agency to do the same.
If you choose to give through community service, your experience will be your own, unique to you and your situation. Giving provides a reward that cannot be duplicated any other way.
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