Being a Volunteer - A Noble Profession

I was a “thousand points of light” long before volunteerism lighted up the sky and had an official name. I had my lights short-circuited, burned at both ends, and occasionally punched out. I hang in there because generally volunteerism is a dazzling galaxy of gems that streak across the sky and illuminate the world when it falters and cannot find its way.

I was thinking the other day that Americans are intrigued by royalty. Americans have never felt the need for a hierarchy who live in castles and get paid for waving and going to funerals, but I would like to propose a royal family for this country who would have no political power but would symbolize what we are all about and set the tone for our nation. . .the Royal Family of Volunteers.

You cannot be born to this royal family. You must earn your way through the ranks. Congress will not appropriate a salary for your efforts. You won’t even have your own principality, especially if you volunteer your medical services to travel down the Amazon River on your vacation to tend to the needs of children in Brazil. The perks of royalty, which usually add up to yachts, box seats, parades and state dinners, may translate to long hours, tired sandwiches, costs, rejection, cold coffee, and screaming kids. Royalty as a rule is recognizable. The Royal Family of Volunteers are nameless, faceless, and forgettable. They are often taken for granted, and only a fraction of them are recognized for their talents. So how do you know you’re royalty? Ah. . .it’s the crown jewels that give you away-that sparkling tiara of smiles you have given and tears you have shared, and the rich legacy of caring.

By Erma Bombeck (February 21, 1927 - April 22, 1996)