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Being
a Volunteer Works for Me
"Was it always going to be
coffee mornings, ladies luncheons, with not much depth to my life? After
the initial turmoil of the move back
to
Scotland, leaving behind my only surviving daughter and my lovely
grandson, life was a bit
empty. What could I do? What would I be good at? An advertisement in the
local paper caught my eye that
Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
had obtained some funding to
recruit and train new
volunteers for counselling work...... Yes!
"The initial training wasn't easy as it was necessary and important for
us to delve into
our own background; this was an essential part of
the learning process. This gave me
the opportunity to look at my own sad loss and confront any
issues whilst in a safe environment, rather than have them surface in a
counselling situation.
"Five years on, I have
seen many clients and I am always aware of the courage it takes for
people to ask for help with their bereavement. I feel extremely
privileged when they share with me their emotional, sometimes raw, and
almost always very sad stories. My hope is, they too can find something
in their lives to bring back some joy again.
"I wish I had embarked on
volunteer work sooner, but it might not have been right then, I believe
it was through my own major loss of my daughter Shirley, which
brought to my notice the need out there, for bereavement
counselling. I feel my life has grown since her sudden death over a decade ago. I always
remember what a trainer once told me, by using a log as an
analogy of how growth is possible after bereavement (akin to losing a
limb). I have had new growth; I feel it has made me a much better
person; I wouldn't be who I am, or what I am doing today without my past
events having taken place.
"PS. As it is voluntary -
I still have time
for coffees and lunches with my friends .,. and the many trips down south
to see my lovely grandsons (there are 2 of them now)."
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