Dear Common Ground Friends,
There is a song by local singer-songwriter Loud Sun that goes, “Everything I got I was given.” I find this an inspiring perspective to take. It reframes my life and experience in terms of generosity and gratitude, and even abundance. I’m very grateful for everything I’ve been given, and the Dharma and Common Ground are high on that list. Maybe you feel similarly. Common Ground, and the Buddhist tradition as a whole, are truly the result of immeasurable generosity going back millennia.
At Common Ground, everything we have has been given. Given by teachers, by students, by volunteers, by community members, by you. You give your money, your time, your good wishes, your kind attention, and your sincere practice. At times here the circle of giving and receiving truly feels like a circle, with no clear distinction between giver and receiver. We make Common Ground happen because we are inspired to. Thank you for all the ways you participate in this joyful dance.
If you are still exploring how you want to be in relationship with Common Ground, and have some time and skills to offer, let me say a few words about volunteering. Common Ground has a small, part-time administrative staff: myself and Nancy Boler, our bookkeeper; our two Guiding Teachers also help out with admin in addition to their teaching and leadership duties; everything else is done by a veritable army of volunteers. To list everyone who donates their time and efforts to keep this place running would fill a Google Doc (at least) — it is a beautiful, living web that is continually shifting and changing as people step up and step back. Witnessing and supporting this web of generosity feels like a privilege.
There’s no one right way to volunteer. I like to think that there’s a role for everyone; it can just take some time and communication to find it. The sweet spot is where your particular skills and availability mesh with the center’s needs. When this happens, in my experience, it’s a win-win: volunteers feel like they’re making a meaningful contribution doing something they enjoy, and Common Ground has gained one more beautiful cog in our generosity machine! If this sounds like fun to you (and it is), here are some ways to start the conversation:
- Schedule a 20-minute meeting with me
- Fill out our volunteer interest form
- Send me an email
- Come to our Fall Cleaning and Maintenance Day this Saturday, Nov. 1, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- See our list of volunteer needs at the bottom of this and every weekly email
with gratitude,
Gabe Keller Flores
Operations Manager