Happiness #8 Volunteer and participate in charitable work.

If you want to help yourself, help others by volunteering or enlist to a charitable organization. You will feel you do something valuable, and you will see the benefits of doing good deeds.

Voluntary community work. The concept is apparently very Norwegian. Spring 2004, the Norwegian word "dugnad "  was voted the national word, in a slightly informal competition in the TV show  “Typisk Norsk” (great series on NRK, I liked it).

I have to admit I get a little stale taste in my mouth when talking about Voluntary community work. Voluntary work is somehow something we do when forced. For some reason I don’t understand why it sits so deep with to enroll voluntarily community work. Voluntary work is so social! It’s nice and usually both coffee, tea and good conversation are a big part of the task. Things that I otherwise would be annoyed about are getting done (I don’t like garbage, worn paint, filthy windows or any other signs of decay. It is unnecessary, because it takes very little effort to get it fixed.
Voluntary community work is usually in our own interest. It is our children who do sports, go on trips, have a nice neighborhood with playground, At the end of the day someone will have to do a lot of odd jobs, that would otherwise not have been done, if noone made an effort. It may be tedious work, but work that makes everything so much nicer for everybody. I know it’s not right to count on someone else to do it, so I really should participate more. I know.

Non-governmental organizations have little resources, they depend on maintenance, modifications and upgrading to be done for free, or nearly for free. Costs must be limited to a minimum and users need to step up to keep the activities up. There is so much evidence that being involved in all these organizations soon become more of a lifestyle. I need to ask myself then: In order to secure my boys play sports, am I willing to change my lifestyle? It is both rewarding and useful, even though it’s an ungrateful job. Yet it’s an ungrateful job many do. In many ways it’s like the job of being a cleaner: I can’t see myself doing it, but I am ever so thankful that someone is doing it. Yeah, I know, it is a dilemma.

To correct the impression a tiny bit: I'm really good at buying tickets. I buy from most everybody coming to my door selling... when I have cash (they don’t carry around apparatuses for cash dispenser card… yet). I also pay for the Christmas cards, gift tags and calendars I get sent every Christmas from organizations training guide dogs, the handicapped artists painting with their mouth and feet, rescue company and a few other dedicated organizations. I pay my way out to have a good conscience. It may not taste as good, but I feel good enough to not be ashamed of myself and my effort. I tick off the list and feel ok after all.

I have no idea what the right answer to what happiness really is, but ... although I shiver and tremble with freezing cold (perhaps not that strange as it is, after all, winter, and the wind has been whistling cold and hard for over a month now) spring is already well underway within me. I thaw and feel warmer inside, and although this is not the correct definition to what happiness is, I am sure it applies?