I have now visited all five of the Central Appalachian states that ASP serves! I am currently in Summers County, West Virginia, preparing for a full week of exploring this state. I spent the latter half of my past week in Avery County, North Carolina, where I gained another diverse perspective of Appalachian culture.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve learned the importance of seeking fulfillment. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of only doing what needs to be done. Finding the motivation to do more than what is expected of you can be very difficult, especially when it feels like you’re already doing enough. I’ve found that going above and beyond in service is not only productively rewarding, but personally fulfilling.
Finding the ambition for this productivity wasn’t entirely through self-reflection. Sometimes, what it takes is second-hand inspiration. This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with and spend time with individuals and groups that personified a remarkably admirable work ethic. These traits were evident in each county’s summer staff crew, who work diligently through stress and adversity, volunteer groups who devote a week of their summers to charitable home repair, and homeowners who have shared stories of incredible dedication to service.
A few examples stood out to me in particular. In one of my Avery County interviews, we spoke with a group leader who had been volunteering with ASP for forty-five years. She told us that the motivation for her annual return came through her aspiration to “get it”. She described the idea of “getting it” as an understanding of the fulfillment that comes from service, but not in a way that simply makes her feel as if she was above anyone else. She serves the community time and time again because it is her idea of expressing her faith selflessly.
In my second Avery County interview, we spoke with homeowners who were survivors of Hurricane Helene. They spoke of their continuous philanthropic efforts directly after the hurricane up to the present day, as well as their plans to expand upon them. However, what is most admirable about their story is the lack of an expectation for something in return. Anyone who is able can give back to their community, but what they expect in return is truly what shapes their generosity.
With the ASP theme this summer being “love your neighbor”, these experiences have shifted my perspective on this notion. Loving your neighbor is not just treating those around you with love and empathy. Loving your neighbor is doing this without an expectation of reciprocity. I’d like to conclude with a quote from early Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius:
“When you have done a good act and another has received it, why do you look for a third thing besides these, as fools do, either to have the reputation of having done a good act or to obtain a return?”
See you next week,
Jaxson Gage
Story Gathering Intern
