Hello from the Porch! As the first week of volunteers comes to an end, I find myself unsure of exactly how I feel. It feels like this week has lasted both a few days and a few months at the same time. I started the week in Washington County Tennessee and had ended this week in Jonesville, Virginia, and in between those two places, I experienced so many conversations, successes, challenges, and memorable moments that it’s hard to know where to start.
There were some moments this week when I questioned whether I was being helpful to my other staff members. Coming into the summer, I knew there would be a learning curve, but I think I underestimated how often I would find myself wondering if I was doing enough or contributing in the ways that I thought I was going too. There were times when I felt unsure if I was making a meaningful impact. Looking back, though, I think those feelings are probably a natural part of learning something new.
One of the best parts of this week was getting to hear people share their stories with me. Some of those stories came from volunteers, while others came from homeowners. Every conversation reminded me that everyone arrives at ASP with experiences and perspectives that I know nothing about until they choose to share them. Being trusted with those stories is something I do not take for granted.
A positive highlight of the week was when Jaxson and I completed our first homeowner interview. Honestly, I do not think we could have asked for a better person to be our first interview. The conversation felt natural, meaningful, and encouraging, and it reminded me why storytelling is such an important part of this job. I also got to go on runs with Tatum, which was a fun full-circle experience considering she was one of my staffers when I volunteered in Dickinson County a couple years ago. During those runs, I got to see more of what staffers experience throughout the day. I also found myself involved in something that does not happen every day. We were trying to help solve a problem that arose near the end of a workday. We worked through possible solutions, but eventually it became clear that the issue would require more resources and time than we had available in that afternoon.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson. Sometimes, even when you want to solve a problem, the solution doesn’t come as quickly as you’d hope. Leaving without accomplishing what you hoped to accomplish is harder than it sounds. Still, even in those hard moments, I learned something significant about patience, selflessness, and accepting what is out of my control. If there is one thing I am taking away from this week, it is this: even in difficult moments, good always finds a way back. Though I don’t know much, this much I do.
Onward to the next adventure,
Cassidy Smith
Story Gathering Intern
