I was out for lunch sometime ago with a financially very successful business owner in hopes of securing some financial assistance from him for a volunteer oriented project. The lunch was set up by a mutual acquaintance so all this business owner knew was that lunch would be an opportunity to discuss an interesting project. As I began to describe the project, he bubbled up, and I quote, “Ya, my wife is like that. She’ll go and work somewhere and not even expect to get paid for it!” My pasta was very good but it was a very short lunch.

Given that richness is not always measured monetary terms, there many aspects of my life that have made me a rich man. My work in the volunteer sector, both professionally and as a volunteer, have made significant contributions to my sense of wealth. There is something about working with volunteers that I find contagious. People who give of themselves are quite generally, great people to with which to work and socialize. There are also moments when the optimism about what is possible can be dizzying and others when the realization of what has been accomplished can bring on a feeling of satisfaction like no other and most certainly of greater longevity than that of a paycheque.

Whether a volunteer assisted initiative is enriching lives with the most basic of necessities or simple frivolous fun, the affect on other lives overflows back to those that make it possible.

Ah, to be truly 'rich'.

(The photo is just one of many groups of volunteers who have helped enrich my life - Partners of the Americas volunteers in Recife, Brazil)