The Wisdom Behind Being A Volunteer

“When you fail, you learn a lot about yourself and come back stronger. Life need not have limits. Having an opportunity in life is important but what defines you is what you do with that opportunity.” – Richard Whiteheads, Paralympics Athlete. This quote reminds about how important to grab a chance even though have a physical limit.

My first day when attended as a volunteer for the Wheelchair Tennis Malaysia, I never thought that volunteering to help disabled people completely changed the way I think to be more sensitive for helping others.

When I first heard that there was a para-association which is a Wheelchair Tennis Wheelchair (WTM), the first picture in my mind was

"Play tennis while moving the wheelchair? It is a damn thing to do." But it is true, it makes me amazed when I first saw the Malaysian players in action at the courtroom. Live. From my own eyes.

It is true because we have WTM national players which are Abu Samah, Arrifahmi Zaquan, Yushazwan Yusuf and Firdaus Ibrahim. The four nationalists almost wanted to beat the Sri Lanka players on the BNP Paribas 2019 qualifying round. It was last April 4. That was a bit fierce in the last game because it was forced to give up because we received news that the host was Israel. Very sore. But that is the reality that must be swallowed.

It is truly proud that our country actually has amazing talents. However, there is a story behind all these glories. Wheelchair Tennis Malaysia is getting less attention from the media. When it comes to Paralympic event time. Fewer highlights from the Olympics. Is it because they are understaffed so they get fewer media coverage of the successes they have earned? Or, maybe because it is not a soccer sport that's a Malaysian madness?

These questions are still playing in my mind but it is not always the deck of keeping the heart and just making observations from time to time when I am volunteering for this association.

Before Being A Volunteer

I admit, before becoming a volunteer, I am not an easy person to have sympathy with the people around me. Empathy not to mention. Selfish. For me then, just waste time to think of the people around if my thing was never resolved. I did not realize when I did that the advantage of easing the burden of others actually had a huge impact. Not only for the people but also for me.

Anger attitude should not be said, very synonymous with me. I can say that I have a problem with anger if anyone likes to provoke me. There is no doubt that this attitude is not bad, but when it comes to thinking back if I use this attitude to the right path. Maybe I can change for the better than now.

So, I decided to think about what should I do to control my anger issues. I can say all the time I ask myself what my acquaintance should do to change my negative attitude. At first, it was quite difficult. But that does not break my spirit to find a solution. Until one day, my dad introduced me to a volunteer program.

The Wisdom I Get After Being A Volunteer

A lot of the lessons I get after several volunteers, especially in Para-sports. The biggest change, of course, is that I can control my anger by the right channel. In other words, I still can be angry, so my right is a human being. It does not blindly make decisions when in anger.

The impact of being a volunteer many taught me to continue to understand the souls of the people around me. More humane. Indirectly, it actually cultivates the quality of leadership and becomes more confident in any aspect.

The best moment, I can get acquainted with new people who have the same passion as me that is the spirit of volunteers. Not only is there a relationship when the program only, after the program ends, but the relationship is also still there until now.

No matter where the background is, there are lecturers, professors, policemen, students, dentists, bakers and many more. However, when in the program, the background is all we do not look at. Only the attitude is judged. It is really fun to meet humble people despite having a very good background. It is better than myself who is just a student at a public university.

The greatest learning of my life is that I learn to always do all things sincerely, without expecting any reply from the people around me. Well, all of my things are just intentions for God. Only anyone who has ever been a volunteer who knows the feeling after helping others. That joy is difficult to describe. The heart becomes calmer and the social life also becomes healthier.

When I think back, this is a really good activity to make especially students like me. Indirectly, it can open up more workspace for future careers. Examples include teamwork, communication skills, how we handle emotional intellect, intellectually critical thinking, and in the same way of managing in any aspect.

The point is, the wisdom in volunteering is a lot of positives other than the above. Such activities can have a positive impact on the physical body. According to a psychological study at the University of Sussex, helping people in distress can actually increase one's happiness. This is because, the more we help people, the more we feel more positive and happy to do any activity.