The More I Live

"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live." ~George Bernard Shaw

I stole this from the post Randall published this morning. It made me stop and think, ask myself how am I giving to my community? Not just living a life of self interest, but rather investing in the good of those around me. Now that I'm back on my feet post-grad school it's time to start making this a part of my life again.

Before grad school I spent a crazy amount of my energy in 'giving back' in a myriad of ways, but significantly through the junior board, which was the most satisfying, most exhausting thing I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of. Service and leadership were simply a part of who I was, it flowed naturally. Committees and officers positions, constantly planning and doing and moving. Then I started grad school. Which began a five year (can it possibly have been five years?) process of being knocked down lower than my 21 year old self thought possible and eventually coming back from rock bottom. My life is completely different now and I find I have to be mindful and actually seek out the opportunities.