Patty's Full Circle Blog

“So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we can not have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.” Barack Obama, November 4, 2008

No matter how you voted the time now is for unity. Obama is calling us to come together in the service of others. In the obvious sense this means service to those in need that some of us would label as “less fortunate.” The call to serve means reaching out to others and living life through the lens of “how can I help?” with every interaction we have with others. At work, home, school, and in our communities when we look for opportunities to give back and help those around us we contribute to a greater cause and promote positive energy and a culture of service.

Those of us who regulary engage in service and look for opportunities to help know that giving is a form of selfishness for the giver benefits far more than the recipient. As an individual the personal benefits of service are fulfilling, but when groups come together to help these rewards are compounded by the unity and synergy that is experienced by the group’s shared purpose. This is the Full Circle Effect…pass on the message!

What an incredible day! This was proof that service is the best medicine. We had an amazing day in NW, Indiana helping out the local flood victims. Working with One Brick and the homeowners, we came together to gut two basements to help get the families back on their feet. The disgusting, moldy debris was removed and now there is a clean blank slate for rebuilding.

One Brick volunteers are known for working hard and accomplishing projects quickly. That’s just what happened. Even with a long lunch break at Wendy’s (Thank you Wendy’s for the FREE LUNCH), we were able to finish all of our projects with time to spare. The passion and enthusiasm of the volunteers was inspiring. The volunteers even chipped in to buy a wheel barrow that was needed for one of the projects!

After our hard work we went to Three Floyds Brewery to celebrate. What a nice treat to go to this local gem and destination for beer lovers. This is typical of a One Brick event…to go out and cheers after a job well done!

The best part of the day was the the time the Full Circle team took later that evening to reflect on our experience. This element of service is what makes a good event great and is the key to creating a deeply transformative experience. We discussed the day and what it meant for us to help the families and see the enthusiasm of so many volunteers. We reflected on our commitment to service and how important it is to make giving back a key part of our lives. As Full Circle, we used this day as our staff retreat. We got a taste and reminder of the value that we bring to groups and the ability our events have to make a difference in the world.

Personally, I felt centered after that day with a renewed sense of validation for my life’s purpose. I feel I am exactly where I need to be in my life and that all is aligned. I am here to bring people Full Circle!

A well deserved brew at Three Floyds