It’s a Saturday morning in the middle of September. I am volunteering at Zachariah’s Acres to help with the apple picking for their fall fest. Zachariah’s Acres is a place where people with special needs can go to do things that will make them feel just like everybody else. The main goal is to make them feel like royalty, and that they have a purpose in this world.

“Make sure that they twist the apples, not pull them,” 

Were the only instructions I was given. Everything else was up to me.

Like lifting the little kids up to help them reach an apple, and learning all of their names. Or picking apples for the ones that were in wheelchairs. Even allowing them to try other fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, green beans, and even nasturtiums - most of them didn’t like the flowers though.

Dearer than any such praise from the parents, was the smile on everyone’s faces. Whether it were the sibling, the parents, the aunt and uncle, everyone was smiling. 

“Thank you so much,”

“We had so much fun,”

“You just made her day,”

Praise after praise, made me feel like I was on top of the world.

“This is apple is nasty,”

“It’s so good,”

“Wow,”

Comment after comment, made me smile brighter than the sun.

“Bye Olivia!”

“You try it first Olivia,”

“Olivia! Look at my unicorn shirt!”

Remark after remark, reminded me why I love to volunteer.

Making others days, and making them laugh the hardest they have in a while. Getting them to try things out of their comfort zone, and making them smile like they’ve never smiled before. Brings me such joy, and gives me a sense of purpose.

It’s a Saturday evening in the middle of September. I leave Zachariah’s Acres with a smile on my face, and a radiating warm heart.