As regular readers of my blog will know my decision to volunteer in India was not given much consideration, other than, when I read about the Book Bus then I just knew that I was destined to work with the organisation. Call it what you will, a hunch, intuition, my third eye sensing opportunity but there was a voice within urging me to pick up the gauntlet which had been thrown down by the Google search engine!
Normally I would think twice about such a mountainous challenge, not only the hard work and planning which was necessary to raise the funds but to also travel alone to another continent. There was no time really to fear the unknown, time raced by and one minute I was alone in my kitchen making mincemeat to sell at Christmas and the next I was sitting on a Lufthansa flight on my way to Delhi and then onwards to Jodphur.
The decision was a brave one for me as after years of struggling with mental health problems I finally was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. In normal circumstances I don’t like to label myself, however, this diagnosis enabled me to get the right medication and support and ultimately be braver with the life decisions I am called upon to make.
For those struggling with mental health problems, volunteering is positively encouraged for many reasons. It boosts social skills, confidence and self esteem and gives a motivation for getting out of bed in the morning – which although during my bad times was a source of comfort and protection, latterly I had become to regard this as my pit, in so far that the longer I stayed in bed the deeper the hole became and my ever increasing struggle to see daylight was ebbing slowly away.
I regard my trip to India to be life enhancing, it allowed me to experience another culture and to learn from the people, all of whom I spoke to have left their mark and my soul is richer for both having and creating this opportunity. On my brief sightseeing trip around Delhi, I visited the Lotus Temple. It struck me that a multi-denominational approach to life as well as religious beliefs is necessary to enable understanding and empathy for those whose life battles are different to your own and to offer a supporting hand should it be necessary.
Ultimately, volunteering has helped me to be braver, increased my resilience and to identify skills and talents that were not apparent to me or those which were lying dormant, outside my protective shell where a little voice within and those outside told me not to spend so much energy on pursuing things I’m not really good at. I’m pleased to report I’m trying to stop listening to these voices and for those of you who are thinking about volunteering but hesitating then I urge you to pick up that glove and pursue whatever your chosen cause is with energy, love and compassion.
rajasthanadventure 