Volunteer 'Escapade' Warms a Builder's Heart

Mohandas Gandhi said something many years ago that repeatedly echoed in my mind after the devastating events of Sept. 11. "When I despair, I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been murderers and tyrants, and for a time, they can seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Think of it. Always."

With those words of encouragement, I contacted Habitat for Humanity, packed a bag and headed to Bozeman, Mont. As a teenager, I had the good fortune to travel to "Big Sky" country with my family. I recall sitting around the campfire and staring in wonder at the luminosity of the stars as they sputtered their effervescence across a velvety night sky. Thirty years later, the splendor of Big Sky did not disappoint me, as you can still hear a moonbeam falling as the darkness breathes quietly in the stillness of the magnificent heavens.

Our Global Village team consisted of a remarkable mix of wonderfully dedicated people, ranging in age from a young lady of 16 years to an old-timer such as myself, who stopped counting birthdays long ago. It was heartwarming to witness such an enthusiastic cluster of people, who came from such a wide collection of backgrounds, working in concert for a worthwhile cause.

The "kids" astonished me as they took on many of the more difficult aspects of the build, including digging trenches for sidewalks and helping frame walls in the blistering sun. As a professional builder, I marveled at what this crew of volunteers accomplished in such a short time.

I assume that each of us was touched in a unique way by what we learned on this escapade. Just as no two leaves are carried in the same way through all the eddies of a river current, a Global Village work trip affects each of us in a different way.

I've come to accept that the years have a way of forcing a certain amount of wisdom, but unfortunately, sometimes cynicism comes along for the ride whether we like it or not. My skepticism quickly retreated once I saw such a large contingent of young people possessing such unbridled enthusiasm join together with unconditional willingness to help others.

These remarkable trips rejuvenate my spirit, rekindle my outlook on life and restore my faith in humanity. They turn cynicism into optimism, and gloom into hope.

The stars that once appeared ever so faint on the horizon of my heart after that fateful September day now emanate their radiance yet again.

Hopefully, we can once more imagine a world where forgiveness transforms revenge, peacemaking replaces violence, differences enrich us, and freedom endures.