Returning to My Roots

Tuesday’s Truth

I was reminded recently that my journey should not be a solo one, that serving my community will do as much for me as for the world at large. This was a hard truth to swallow, since I live so frequently in my own mind, but it’s a truth that I needed to receive.

Honoring my roots and giving back to the same sorts of foundations which helped to shape me as a human, woman, and writer is something that has largely been lacking in my life. I don’t know when my focus because so narrow, or when I started running this solo race, but I realize that running life as relay instead of just on my own is probably much more beneficial. Not only will it provide a stepping point for further introspection (something I love to do) but it will also give me a chance to step out of what I think is important and begin examining life from another angle. Part of what makes me tick is discovering the nuances of human experience that might not be visible on the surface, and it seems volunteer work will be a great way to achieve this goal. So with that in mind, I reached out to a local organization in my old hood that offers tutoring to students who are trying to earn their GED.

It’s no secret that I am immensely proud of my educational pedigree. Granted, it is far from the norm and I don’t have diplomas from ivy covered schools, but that doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I think if I’d had a different sort of upbringing, I’m sure I could have earned admittance to Stanford or Harvard or some kind of school like that – but then I wouldn’t be so keen to see the beauty in non-traditional educational routes, and I doubt I would appreciate what I’ve earned as much as I do. Helping people study for the GED will likely be a difficult and trying process; I’m sure returning to Price Hill is bound to stir up a number of memories that I’ve likely repressed so far that I’ve forgotten the moments exist. But it’s something that I have to do, something I need to do … inasmuch because it’s the right thing to do as because I know by helping others, I will find a way to help myself. It's only be a few weeks but already I'm finding such comfort in taking some time from my day to help others.