Oneof my favorite things is making people laugh. It is hard to express the feeling Iget when a person's face is filled with a smile that I gave them. When I decidedto contribute to my community, I wanted to do something I was good at. I knew Icould make people laugh and have a good time, so I wanted to help people who hada need for humor. When I heard an announcement at school that volunteers wereneeded to go to a nursing home for a picnic, I decided it was the perfectopportunity to give back to the community that has given me so much.
Ididn't know what to expect. Would these people be able to talk? Would theyunderstand me? Were they nervous, too? These questions raced through my mind. Wegathered the six seniors who were going to the picnic and began walking to thepark. It was amazing to watch them have so much fun just walking. It made merealize how great the simple pleasures of life are, and how much we take forgranted.
We arrived at the park and began eating lunch. I have never seenanyone over 80 eat as much as those six individuals. During lunch we introducedourselves and asked some basic questions, including where they were from and howmany children they had. After lunch I thought they might like to play poker, butI couldn't believe it when they started teaching me how to play. I was thedealer, and whenever I made a mistake they would yell at me - joking, of course.We sat on that park bench for two hours playing poker. It was great.
Thebest part of the whole day was seeing them smile, and knowing that I was makingthem laugh. It was one of the best experiences I've ever had, and I can't wait todo it again. This experience taught me to love every minute of the day. Thesepeople were so happy just to be outside, and it was amazing to watch the joy theygot from our company. I will never forget the smiles I gave that day.
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