I’ve been thinking about your article, and since I’ve been through much of what you speak of, I thought I’d send in some personal insights. It is true that “external expectations….just die away in the face of Death”, but people need to be aware, going in, that this realization is difficult to maintain. Everyday living and the natural tendancy, of all people, to deny unpleasant facts trys to crowd higher realities out. It is unlikely to remain a brilliant flash of revelation, I mean, for some people it does, but conversions or complete make-overs in ones world view like Saul on the road to Damascus are rare and so some vigilance is in order to keep this new reality front and center. Also, “giving without any expectations of return” has its own pitfalls. The individual receiver of your “gift” (if this act of giving is any on-going, long term process) can get very tired of being grateful. This is a fact that anyone who voluteers significant time, money and effort into another person’s life really needs to understand. This is really not about ingratitude at all; it is just that over time your well intentioned and initially well received attention can come to be seen as just another example of how they (the person you are helping) have no real control over their own life. So, if after some time, the person you are helping suddenly seems to turn on you it may be that this issue has come into play and you must find a way to not let this dissuade you from the path you have set but see it as just another part of the illness and patiently move forward. Of course, it is possible have you have actually been doing something wrong and so should examine the situation to determine if an actual or procedural or systemic problem exists that can be fixed.

I do not mean to be a wet blanket here, dousing the fires of voluteerism you are tring to kindle. That is not my intent. I only know that from my own Life experience these are realities that I wish someone had given me a heads-up about. It would have saved me a lot of anguish, anger, fear and doubt. Finally, any of your readers who are considering voluteering should know that I have found that there is nothing they can do with there time that will foster a feeling that they used their time on earth wisely and well more than helping another human being. NOTHING. I know it sounds like a highway billboard in Amish country but I believe it to be true.

Good Luck and Good health to you and yours,

Scott Gensemer