Volunteering at these different places has helped me understand and always gain perspective on my life. Seeing the elderly still be cheery despite their many challenges, or seeing the ways in which pure human connection can make a difference, always emphasises that each person feels the same emotions. Before volunteering, I always feel a little awkward, but I always leave feeling like I could stay longer. hearing them talk of their lives, their children, their struggles – all of it gives me contentment.