Expectations for volunteer work these next two weeks

Let me start by saying that I hate expectations.

I like plans, and even sometimes schedules, and color-coding brings joy to my little heart, but I despise expectations. I hate the feeling of, well, this isn't what I expected, it's far worse, and the feeling of, whew, this is better than I'd thought, always seems uncharitable and somehow rude.

I prefer to sketch out the future, and then see what comes.

I find it's nearly always a pleasant surprise.

That said, my prompt is to blog about specific expectations. So:

Volunteering with the City Park, doing wetlands restoration: I expect someone will get sunburnt, and someone will fall in the lake. I feel reserved about me, personally, forgetting sunscreen. My goal is to actually finish the job we're assigned - which is a little vague, I know, but as the plan-as-I-remember-it is "planting water weeds" and "wearing hip waders," I think that's okay.

Volunteering with Parkway Partners, clearing community gardens left untended after Katrina: I expect someone will get stung by ants, and someone else will forget gloves and get a blister in the web between thumb and index finger, which will then be awkward and painful for the next week. I feel reserved about ME and fire ants. But I also feel extremely hopeful - this is my favorite of the projects, and one I've done before in my hometown. I think that green spaces are important for a community, and gardening is both social and therapeutic; I think planting flowers, herbs, and vegetables and watching them grow is one of the strongest ways to feel ownership and belonging to a parcel of land. So my goal is to get these spaces ready for the community members to come in and re-claim the land.

Volunteering with St. Margaret's Daughters, er: Happily, this is next week, because I'm kind of floundering on this one. We're working at a nursing home? I don't expect hip waders will be involved? I am failing to have reservations about the not-knowing, because I have faith in Dr. Boyd's plan, and my goal is to have fun, have everyone else associated have fun, and most importantly, to learn something. Moving on!

Volunteering with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, house repair/rebuilding: I expect to drop a hammer on my foot. I feel reserved about this potential injury. My goal is to NOT drop a hammer on my foot.

And that, perhaps, leads to a conclusion: I don't like expectations, because they all seem to involve bodily harm. On the plus side, this means I always have a first-aid kit handy - Be Prepared, it's not just for Boy Scouts! - but on the minus side, it's kind of horrifying. Which is why I go for calm pragmatism: we have a plan, it will either happen or it won't. And as for results or challenges or triumphs, we'll just have to see.