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By Connor Tracy, Class of 2016
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| Connor Tracy |
When you come from a small town where the outdoors, hard work, and strong bonds are valued, the transition to a big city can be a tough step to take. Things move a lot faster, your free time is no longer filled with working outside or relaxing in the shade, and people are far too busy to really get to know you. For me, this was the culture shock I felt when I came to college. Although I love the University of Louisville, after a while I grew to miss the small town lifestyle. This is where Helping Hands Serving Hearts came in. I was presented with the opportunity to participate in the first service date for this organization. At first, I just saw it as another chance to do community service hours, but after we arrived at the elderly gentleman’s home, it became much more.
The man had some bushes that he wanted removed, but he was no longer physically capable of completing this task. As I began the process of digging the first bush up, I felt the hot sun glaring on the back of my neck. Beads of sweat rolled down my face as I chopped at the thick roots. The only thought in my mind was, I’m home again. The opportunity to be outside and do hard work once again brought back feelings that I had missed for a very long time.
Those feelings grew even more when the elderly gentleman came out to check on the other volunteer and myself. He brought glasses of ice water, and spoke nothing but words of praise. The appreciation, kindness, and generosity he expressed to us made every second of being in that summer heat worthwhile. We discussed UofL football and basketball, and he even shared memories of his time at UofL. It was amazing that a man old enough to be my grandfather could still express the same excitement and love for UofL as current students on campus do.
This experience raised my spirits and helped me to appreciate the city of Louisville in ways I never would have imagined. I was given the opportunity to meet an amazing gentleman and make a difference in his life. The service projects for Helping Hands Serving Hearts are much different than other events I have volunteered for because you can see the difference you make in someone’s life right before your eyes. It was truly a blessing to have been given the opportunity to meet the gentleman we worked for, and an inspiring experience that I hold close to my heart.
Connor Tracy is a sophomore McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville. He is majoring in Political Science and Philosophy and minoring in Pan-African Studies.