“The Moments That Stand Out In Your Life…” 

Editorial by Robert Kirwan

    Henry Drummond once wrote, “You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others.”

   I thought about that quote the other day as I sat in the parish hall at PAROISSE STE-MARGUERITE-D'YOUVILLE during the Chevaliers de Colomb Spaghetti Dinner. Close to 500 people enjoyed a dinner that was prepared and served by members of the parish who were volunteering their time for this event. Despite the energy it took to put this wonderful dinner on, not one of those volunteers looked tired. They were all smiling and joking with everyone in the hall and just seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

   While I was eating my spaghetti, my thoughts drifted back a couple of weeks in time to the PAROISSE STE-JACQUES parish hall, where I had once again come across some hard working volunteers who had organized a special fund-raising event in support of Monique Laderoute who was forced to evacuate from her home in Lebanon. Once again, I recalled that all of those people who were giving of their time to help Monique seemed to be so happy and at peace with what they were doing.
  
   Just last week I watched the volunteers from LE CENTRE CLUB AGE d'OR DE LA VALLEE put on a marvelous luncheon for visitors from Greater Sudbury Community Living association.

   I thought about the ladies from St. James in The Valley United Church; and the members of the Valley East Lions Club; and ALL of the volunteers from the various groups and organizations who have chosen to work for the benefit of others. I remembered Anne Unwin and her volunteers at the Good Neighbours Food Bank, dealing with the despair of people who were down on their luck and in need of emergency food supplies. Not one of Anne’s volunteers have ever demonstrated any negative sign of emotional distress themselves. They are always happy and in a good mood. The same can be said about the Georgette Bergeron and her volunteers at the CERCLE MISSIONNAIRE de la VALLEE.
  
   As I was cleaning off my plate my thoughts drifted to the Chevaliers du Colomb #5005 hall on Emily Street where I recently saw the awesome mobile blood donor clinic in operation. While speaking to Robert Plourde and Roger Menard I could sense a tremendous feeling of satisfaction at what these men and their team of a dozen or more volunteers were doing along with Councils #7368; #10602; and #9922 as each took their turns sponsoring the monthly clinics. Not once did I see a volunteer looking stressed out or tired at the clinic.  
  
   I sat for a few moments in silence, simply taking in the breath-taking atmosphere of the spaghetti dinner and recalled an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, "What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?"
  
   Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life." The woman went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed.
  
   She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me."
  
   They told her, "You've certainly come to the wrong place," and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them.
  
   The woman said to herself, "Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my own?" She stayed to comfort them, then went on in search of a home that had never known sorrow.
  
   But wherever she turned, in hovels and in other places, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life.
   
   I had come to the church that evening to do a story about a spaghetti dinner. As I was leaving, I said good bye to my good friend Gerry Chartrand who reminded me about the Sunday Brunch he was organizing the following week. He thanked me for coming to their spaghetti dinner and for doing a story that would appear in The Vision. But I knew that it was I who should be thanking him and all of the other volunteers I had come across that evening and in the weeks prior. This was definitely a moment that was going to stand out in my life.
  
   And so, if you are ever feeling down and out yourself, or if you have sorrow of some kind in your own life, remember the lesson that was learned by the old Chinese woman. Find a place where you can volunteer your time to help others and you will be surprised at how quickly your own sorrows seem to disappear.
  
   Have a good week!