Heart of a Volunteer (an inspirational talk)

A few years ago, I was invited to deliver a talk at a prominent state university. I was asked to speak about volunteerism and how I got started on my advocacies. Quite honestly, I was clueless on how I would go about making a simple slideshow and what I would put in it. It took me a few days to finally sit down and work on my presentation and what I ended up doing was an album of photographs dating back to the time when I first worked as a photographer, a college teacher and all the way up to my days in government service.

Looking at the photos, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how far I have come as a professional, doing a variety of jobs and wearing so many hats over the span of three decades. I marveled at my own capabilities, having been able to do things I hadn’t even dreamed of or imagined. I’ve lived through many adventures, some of which can even be considered, “death-defying” or reckless or “bad ass”.

As I sifted through my digital bag of memories, I tried to decipher the code I wrote for myself. I reviewed critical decisions I’ve made in my career and the course corrections I took to get to where I was at the time. Modesty aside, people think I am awesome but I never saw myself as anything beyond, “average”.

I looked over my slides one last time and called it, “good” and saved the powerpoint file. I tried to get some sleep the night before but I, too, was excited to stand in front of young, impressionable minds and hope that I don’t lull them to sleep.

That afternoon, I got dressed. I don’t normally put on “formal” outfits but I knew it was but proper to at least be in a barong, slacks and dress shoes as befitting as it would for someone of my stature. As I walked into the hall, the gentleman ahead of me was wrapping up his talk. He was introduced to me as a, “doctor”, having earned his PhD somewhere but he was nowhere near the medical field so I thought to myself, “Hmm, another paper-doctor.”

I cannot for the life of me, recall the guy’s name. I usually regard people like him with a healthy disrespect for the misuse of the title to gain some form of adulation.

And so, there he was, dressed in a rumpled t-shirt, stained pants and sweating like meat roasting on a spit. He had a disability which explained his limp and he had an obnoxious manner about him that told me that the person was simply trying too hard to be what he was not!

He was proud of the fact that he was a professor educating inmates on law and the legal system, reasoning that he was giving degenerates some hope and a future for when they finally get their freedom and return to society. Personally, I didn’t give a rat’s ass what his advocacy was simply because of how he conducted himself, arrogant and hostile to his young audience. I looked around and saw frightened faces and jaws agape out of dismay rather than awe.

His parting words were even more appalling and disturbing:

“Gusto n’yo bang magkaroon ng libreng tahanan, libreng pagkain at libreng edukasyon? Wala kayong dapat gawin kundi ang magnakaw, pumatay at mang-rape para mabilanggo kayo at magkakaroon kayo ng lahat ng ‘yan!”

Many of the students actually wept when he said that and without waiting for applause, stepped down from the stage and took a seat beside me. I didn’t even know whether to shake his hand or take his advice and bury a knife into his neck!

No sooner than he had left the stage, I was already being introduced. I was hoping that the guy would be well on his way home before I even opened my slideshow. I stalled for a few minutes and when I saw the man get up and leave, I cut loose with my icebreakers.

The kids were still in a state of shock when I cracked my first joke and clearly, some of the tension in the hall eased up a little and I felt I could start with my talk. Seeing some of the faces light up, I broke out a few more jokes and pretty soon, the hall was alive with laughter!

My slideshow had very little text added. It was more like a photo album of things I’ve done, places I’ve been and hats I’ve worn over the years. I annotated each frame, highlighting what, how and why. My last three slides had a few simple words in them. I told them quite frankly, that I first wanted them to know my life story before I revealed my secret. It was a series of three slides, each with a single word written on them:

PASSION—every successful person is driven by a passion. Each one of us must first seek out what it is that we are passionate about and engage in a life-long pursuit of it. Without passion, we would simply be a statistic added to an actuary. Ever since I had developed a consciousness, I have always sought out things that intrigue, excite, and draw me into—photography, shooting, extreme sports and writing. I relentlessly pursued and continue to pursue these until I am no longer able. Passion is the difference between mere existing and living!

YES—never turn down an opportunity. I hardly ever said, “No.” in all my life. I am the guy who would gladly accept a challenge without knowing how I would actually go about it. Everything I ever got into was because I always said, “Yes!” and I never regretted anything I’ve ever done in my life—good or bad! Whenever I am asked, “What have you done so far?” I would reword the question and shoot back, “I’ve done so much, I’ve lost track but the list of things I have yet to do is quite short.”

DISCOMFORT—tough people are the product of tough circumstances. The finest steel is forged in the hottest furnace. You cannot overcome a challenge by looking away or solve a problem by escaping it. People who’ve lived in air-conditioned homes will never be able to tolerate a few minutes outdoors, under a baking hot sun. Only those who’ve learned to embrace discomfort will know how to overcome their predicament.

And this, people, is the code I live by. You can live by it but don’t expect to end up like me because we all are destined to be what we were meant to be. You cannot be a better version of me. You can only be a better version of YOU.