A tiny bit better

The video on the 4x6 presentation screen zoomed in on a middle-aged woman as she walked into a grocery store. She roamed the different aisles, picking item after item, only to place each back after careful inspection. She peered at a can of soup, inspected the flour and sugar packets, and stared at everything for what seemed like an eternity.

“What exactly is this video getting at?” I wondered as I sat in the New Tutor Orientation at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford.

The more attention I paid to the woman’s facial reactions and body language, the clearer it became.

She had no idea what the food items were.

She couldn’t read and was trying to figure out what was what from the pictures on the boxes. Sometimes she successfully bought the sugar, and sometimes she ended up with the flour. Eventually learning through trial and error that the sugar was in the yellow packet and the flour in the blue.

"What a frustrating way to live?", I thought as I drove home.

This woman stayed in my head for a few days after the orientation. She reminded me of all the things I took very much for granted, including reading the label on a bag of sugar.

My ability to read, write and speak is my one true joy. The thought that it was a luxury for that woman and many like her was a humbling thought.

The Backstory

My interest in being involved with a literacy center started right after the birth of my son. Giving birth to another life, perhaps, gives us more appreciation for lives, other than our own.

During a visit to the local library, my eyes were drawn to a little pamphlet on their notice board.

'Volunteer tutors wanted for English lessons,' it read.

My interest was immediately piqued.  Coming from a dad who supported the college dreams of bright but financially stretched young adults, I was naturally inclined to causes that were education related.

While I want to tell you that, that was the fateful day I decided to 'just do it' - I can't. My decision to volunteer took a few years, 5 to be exact, and a child's entry into Kindergarten - my very own. ("Phew!")

The Teacher

With a better balance between work and family life, the thought that was buried years ago resurfaced. While the 'tutors wanted' pamphlet was long gone, a quick internet search connected me to some literacy centers in the area. After a few phone calls and hours of internet browsing, I was all set to teach the level 1 English class at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford.

During my two semesters as a volunteer tutor, I met with adult students, most of whom were immigrants, once a week for 2-3 hours. We worked on different aspects of English communication and basic living.

From interpreting labels one week to learning how to write each other's names the next. From writing a check in one class to learning how to initiate and hold a conversation the following week. The topics were vast, but the energy and drive of the students was relentless.

It took a lot of courage, I'm sure, to ask someone like me, someone half their age and with little life experience, how to correctly spell 'CAT', but ask they did. They struggled and got frustrated but showed up week after week just so they could improve the quality of their lives.

When life took over again, and I had to end my tutoring journey after six months, I was disappointed. But I can honestly say that my time there has been my most rewarding experience to date.

Contribution

As I was working on this post, I was a little listless. The original draft had me talking about how we should all contribute to end world misery and gave tips and tricks on how to do it ("Yawn!"). It didn’t feel right or authentic. And at some level, it had me assuming that people weren’t already good or kind or giving.

A little introspection and I found evidence of goodness all around me. In my dear friend who helps out at a local women’s shelter, in my neighbor who plants trees and advocates for 'green lawns' and in my pals who shout themselves hoarse at a protest rally against anti-abortion laws.

The causes are different, but the passion is the same. Teach people how to read food labels or plant more trees - it doesn't matter.

You still leave the world 'a tiny bit better' than you found it.