Every time I talk about volunteering with someone who has been doing so for a long time, the same nodding-in-unison happens about two minutes into our chat. No matter what kind of volunteering we?re talking about, we always agree that we get as much as we give. We don?t volunteer regularly because we have to. […]

Every time I talk about volunteering with someone who has been doing so for a long time, the same nodding-in-unison happens about two minutes into our chat. No matter what kind of volunteering we?re talking about, we always agree that we get as much as we give. We don?t volunteer regularly because we have to. We do it because we want to. This never-ending circle of giving and receiving is a beautiful thing and one that will enrich your life as much as the ones around you. One of the ways both Grace and I give back is our regular cooking shift at Angel Food East, a wonderful program near us that provides fresh, lovingly-prepared meals to clients who are homebound for a variety of reasons including chronic illness. Every single Thursday morning, we wake up before the sun comes out and drive half an hour to the church kitchen where Angel Food East is located. We roll up our sleeves with a few other people to cook a meal for at least 60, and sometimes up to 70, people. We package up the meals so they?re ready for the delivery crew. I have never been a morning person, but I?ve come to look forward to Thursday mornings more than any other day of the week. I love th...