Back-to-School Vibes: Making New Friends

“A friend loves at all times.” – Proverbs 17:17

There is something about this time of year that brings back those familiar back-to-school vibes; new schedules, fresh starts, seeing old friends, and the excitement of wondering who you might meet along the way.

Even when our school days are behind us, we never outgrow the need for friendship, connection, and belonging.  Think back to walking into a classroom, cafeteria, or school event and looking for a familiar face. Sometimes all it took was one person smiling, waving you over, or saying, “Come sit with me.” Suddenly, you weren’t standing alone. Someone noticed you and made room for you.

That simple invitation is a beautiful picture of what volunteering can look like at Echoing Hills.

When you volunteer with the individuals we serve, you aren’t simply filling a few hours or helping with an activity. You have an opportunity to get to know someone, share experiences, discover common interests, and build relationships that can grow over time.

And you don’t need a special skill to get started.  Maybe you enjoy cooking, crafting, gardening, fishing, sports, music, classic cars, technology, or simply sitting down with a cup of coffee and having a conversation. Perhaps you belong to a church, club, school, business, or community group where you could help someone make new connections.

Sometimes the greatest gift a volunteer can offer is simply showing up.

For many of the individuals we serve, much of their daily interaction is with family members or paid staff who genuinely care about them. Volunteers have the unique opportunity to expand that circle…to become another familiar face, another connection, and perhaps, over time, a true friend.  And friendship works both ways. You may begin volunteering because you want to make a difference in someone else’s life, only to discover that the relationship has made just as much of a difference in yours.

As students head back to school and reconnect with old friends and make new ones, perhaps September can challenge all of us to do the same.  Make room at the table. Invite someone along. Share what you love. Make a new friend.

Sometimes belonging begins with four simple words: “Come sit with me.”