Christin E - 6/02/09
I sat in the field picking beans. I was so tired and exhausted and really only wanted to sit down instead of crouching in this uncomfortable position while I picked each bean, one by one, and placed it in the basket. The sun beat down on my back and I could feel the beads of sweat forming and dripping on my forehead. I made my way down each row of the field and picked each bean out, one by one. My legs hurt, my back ached, my arms were tired, and I really didn't see the benefit of sitting here and picking beans. I stood up to stretch my back and try to ease my pain and I saw the old man who owned the farm, working just as hard just a hundred feet away. I watched as he, in his 60s, crouched over the same way that I was and worked alongside us. I watched and he refused to take a day off from his 7 day a week job of working a 60 acre farm on his own. I watched him wipe the sweat from his forehead. But I never saw him falter. He never took a break. He never sat back and stared at the sun. He never checked his watch to see when we'd be done with this annoying job.
That's when it hit me. I wasn't crouching over and picking beans for fun, I was doing it to help this man. I wasn't picking beans to become an expert or to open my own farm, I was easing his load. From that point on, I didn't notice the aching in my muscles or the hot sun on my back. I only noticed the beans in front of me. I tried to work hyperspeed to be as productive as possible. I tried to do everything I could to help the man working alongside me.
We finished the day working and all met by a golfcart filled with beans from our hard day's work. We talked and chatted and sampled a few of the beans we picked. I ate one and was surprised by the amount of juices that poured into my mouth. I never knew that vegetables could be so sweet or so delicious. I ate another and enjoyed it just as much. "Thank you all so much," the man said. "Your work alone saved me probably a week's worth of work. You have no idea how much you all helped me." He looked around the circle of us and it was so clear how appreciative he was. We all echoed our thoughts and told him how much we enjoyed it ourselves. I wondered how many of my crewmates were lying.
We said our goodbyes and loaded back into the van. I climbed into my seat and sucked up every drop from my water bottle. I enjoyed the cool comfort that the shelter provided. I basked in the conviences of shade on a hot day. I looked out the window as we pulled away and the man was already back in the fields, working. He worked so hard and just to sustain himself. Thirteen people helped him for three hours and we saved him a week's worth of work. And why didn't we stay longer? Why didn't we do more? Why did we stop to have a snack break when we could have done more? I felt a wave of regret as I remembered how much I hated picking those beans at first. I only wanted to go back and pick more beans, to crouch over for hours and hours and save that man some more work. I only wanted to do more service and make more of a difference.
As we pulled away, I realized the truth about service. I learned that it's not done to be fun or to be a leisurely activity. I learned it's done to help other people and to ease their burden, and if it's fun and leisurely, it's an added bonus. I learned that I can't just go through life and not help anyone else. I learned how rewarding three hours in the hot sun can be. I learned how great it is to feel sore the morning after working hard. I learned to cherish the moments when you can help someone else. I learned the true meaning of service.
