pessimism

(Left to Right: Luke, Kayleigh, Sam, Me, Leah, Katelyn)

This is a picture of a whole bunch of fake people, except me. 

This past summer, I went on a volunteer trip thing in Charleston West Virginia. Charleston is located in Kanawha county; the pronunciation is still up in the air. Anyhow, we were volunteering to help build stuff for people. Some painted homes, some built decks, some did siding, and I tore down a room then started to rebuild it. Helping these different families in need was fulfilling but boy was it hard work. We arrived at our family’s houses at 7 every morning and left around 5, or later. On the last day, I was there until 8:30. We labored away in the blistering July sun all day. Working on the roof in my stylish overalls didn’t help the situation. Nevertheless, we persevered through the week of calorie-burning work.

When it was finally time to return back to the shelter, it didn’t seem to get much better. Us and three other groups had set up camp in a huge gym of a church. That meant messes. So, after we finished our meal, usually cold because of our late return, it was time for the chores. Bathroom duty was the worst by far, but dishes and mopping mess hall weren’t much better. One night we had a chore-free night which was a score. After our chores were finished for the day, we got to clean ourselves up in the shower; the shower outside consisting of a curtain and a hose. In between showers and bedtime was free time/social hour. That was nice. But then bedtime rolled around. I only packed a sad sleeping bag. Talk about back pain.

This trip did have some redeeming qualities, I guess. On this trip, I was thrown into a group of people that I didn’t know so it was fun throughout the week to grow closer to them. I didn’t know anyone in my workgroup before the trip, but by the end, I knew I couldn’t have asked for a better group. They helped make the unbearable work bearable. I didn’t know any of the people in the picture above before this trip either. Turns out their pretty great. During our free time, I would play various stupid games and joke around with them. In this particular picture, we convinced some of the adults to drive the van to a small ice cream place during one of our free times. 

I guess it wasn’t all bad. During our many breaks at the worksite, we would come down from the roof and talk with the family. They were such a nice couple who had so much love and hope in their hearts. We learned through talking with them that this renovated room was for their daughter and granddaughter who had fallen into a tough situation. They had such a genuine heart and I felt honored to help them out. Maybe the people in the picture weren’t fake. Maybe I’m just pessimistic.