Thinking about Masonic Volunteering 3/11/10

From Wickipaedia:

Volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services. Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be considered self-serving.

In recent conversations I was reminded that most of Masonry consists of volunteers. This is true. There are relatively few paid positions in Masonry. Most of us give our time and our own money to participate in the fraternity. In fact oven those who have paid Masonic positions often volunteer in other positions. Taking offices in various bodies and participating in the life of Freemasonry is not uncommon. Many of us get over involved even though we are told that Masonry is not to interfere with our families or our jobs or our other responsibilities.

Be that as it may be my feelings are that once you "volunteer" to do something you have an obligation to do the things which that activity asks you to do. Either that or resign and get out of the way and let someone take the responsibility and do the activities which need to be done.

In Eastern Star there is a line which says "woe unto those who take upon themselves obligations lightly and forthwith forget them." I believe it then calls them faithless and insincere. I do not care if someone doesn't want to do an activity. Fine, then just don't do it. Don't volunteer and have people count on you to do something and then not show up. I constantly hear about people who are supposed to take a part in a degree and have to be replaced at the last minute. This is difficult for the other people who are depending upon you.

So I guess I am saying that I am tired of hearing that we are volunteers. Sure we are volunteers but once we agree to do something we should do it. We should fulfill the Obligation. Or we should find a replacement. I quit an office once because someone told me "If it isn't fun don't do it." The people I had to work with were making it "not fun." So I found other things to do. There are lots of fun things to do. Things which I enjoy and which I can make a difference by doing it. "nuff said."