Listening Beyond Words

Volunteering has shaped who I am. Over the years, I've learned that truly listening can carry extraordinary weight. Offering emotional support isn't just something I do—it's how I see the world. I approach emotions with curiosity and care, almost like a detective piecing together someone's story to offer back comfort, understanding, and compassion.

One story that stays with me is Maria's (a fictional name). At just three years old, she was handed over to strangers to be smuggled across a border. More than fifty years later, she still remembers the fear and confusion, asking me, "How could my parents trust unfamiliar people with me?" It was a fair, heartbreaking question. Yet, as cruel as it sounds, it was the truth of their circumstances—a desperate act born from love and necessity.