Blessed Beyond Belief

This pretty much sums up how I felt yesterday prior to arriving at Dove Springs Recreation Center but most certainly how I felt when I left. I came home with a sense of anticipation and great hope for the families and children who make up the community of Dove Springs.

My drive to Dove Springs consisted of idle chatter between me and myself... a long conversation about being open to whatever the experience held and to also not make assumptions and hopefully, not have any made about me. I truly wanted to experience the community with fresh eyes and see the beauty in all that was important to the people of Dove Springs.

The start of a chilly morning gave way to warmth and greetings from community members, city council members, Texas Exes, and the ever popular Vince Young. Every speaker had a message from "this is what I learned serving a community" to "what is your purpose?"

I was particularly moved by Austin city councilwoman Kathi Tovo's account of her experience with service learning. She recounted the story of being a grad student @ UT and her mother had recently died.  Acknowledging she was in a difficult emotional place in her life, she began to search for something and asked herself what her mother would have wanted her to do. She found the response to be to get involved in the lives of others. So, she became a mentor to several young girl scouts. Her conclusion: she got far more from that group of girls than they got from her. We truly receive more than what we give.

And I wondered how Project and the input of others would change the lives of these young girls for the better?  I wondered also how the impact of college students could change these children's  lives?  Do they dream of college?  Do they hope and dream for things many of us take for granted?

Talking to a group of students who were painting, I discovered they were from St. Edwards and UT. Hilltoppers and Longhorns working side by side for the good of the community. And they were having a great time and eagerly shared with me their enthusiasm for helping the community and their commitment to service learning. It was so fun to see the passion these young men and women had for others.

As I sat in the community center editing photos for Facebook, I was privy to watch families come and go, community recreation center employees and a variety of volunteers. Amazingly everything out of each person's mouth was positive and uplifting and encouraging. No small feat to say the least! The gratitude I heard in people's voices as they talked about the way Project had impacted Dove Springs.

 The sweetest part of the day? The recreation center's custodian. He was a gentle, kind soul who had this servant's heart and wanted everyone to be happy and have what they need.  I absolutely adored him! 

#blessedbeyondbelief