My Second Family~ By Julia McEllen

Thinking about what to write for this blog post, I felt sort of lost. "Anything" is a huge topic, and me- being the indecisive person I am- couldn't narrow down my options. I was trying to think of something exciting to write about, something I cared about. Summer kept coming to mind, but again I couldn't narrow down to one event that is happening in my crazy upcoming summer. That got me thinking about my packed schedule and how fast this year has been going by so far. I realized that events come and go, but the one thing in life that will be there for every event I have planned is family. But, because I have already written a post about my family, I have decided to talk about my "second family" -or so I call them. 

It's strange to think that strangers can become a second family, but that is exactly what happened to me. When I joined Pass It Along, I knew many of the people there through my sister, Madelyn. She had been involved with Pass It Along for a couple of years with her friends. My sister would always come home with stories about bonding experiences, games, service projects, and inspirational speeches that she had experienced that week in meetings. And to me, it was hard to believe that such a place could truly exist. To me, Pass It Along sounded like a fantasy- too good to be true. But I quickly learned that everything she told me was a reality. 

Before we relocated at the beginning of this year, the Pass It Along building used to be an old glitter factory in Newton. It's funny to think that a small, abandoned glitter factory could be such a safe space for so many people. A home for people with a passion for volunteering, and a compassionate heart to fill the room. To get to the building, you had to drive down an almost hidden road and past a gate with a "No Trespassing" sign on it. We would always have a laugh when a guest speaker would come and think they got lost, because, on the outside, the building was the polar opposite of what someone would expect the house of such an amazing organization to look like. And to be honest, I was pretty skeptical when I was dropped off at Pass It Along my first time, as well. I had no clue what to expect. 

But the moment I stepped through the paint cracked door, walls full of colorful murals welcomed me. Warmth filled the room, and laughter filled my ears. People greeted me with hugs and smiles. And I felt at home- within five minutes. It only took five minutes to make me realize that I had just joined a group of people who would be lasting friends and supporters in my life. It amazed me how such a building could look so uninviting, but feel so warm at the same time. 

With all the stress of school, homework, and after-school activities, we were told it may be hard to juggle Pass It Along because of the huge commitment and hard work it takes to be part of. But, it quickly turned out to be one of my favorite places to go. All of my stress faded when I walked through the door and was flooded with happy faces and genuine people. Even if I had three tests the next day, I never once wanted to miss a meeting. I never once wanted to miss a service project. A long, meaningful talk. A bonding exercise. A meditation night. A meeting full of service project planning. Or a night where we all just sat back, eating food, telling stories, laughing, crying, remembering, looking forward to, and being grateful for every moment we had in that building. 

I look around me every day and see the countless people I pass by. Too many people to count. Far too many people to remember. There are so many people I wish I got to know better. So many people I connect with. But, also many people far different from me. People who don't think, talk, feel, and express themselves on the same level as me. And sometimes that can be frustrating. But when I'm at Pass It Along, there is not one face that I am not grateful for. From our leaders to my peers, my classmates, my sister, cousin, friends, I have come to know everyone in Pass It Along on such a deep level. A level I can't quite explain. And each and every memory I have with Pass It Along and the people involved, I cherish. I cherish the days we serve together. I cherish the moments we share with each other. Cry with each other. And most importantly, admire each other. I cherish the moments when we all take a step back and realize the beautiful work we accomplish and the amazing people we are able to help on a daily basis. 

To me, Pass It Along has not only become an exciting, bright, happy place that I go to volunteer, lead, bond at, and serve with. It has not only become a place I am proud to be a part of. But it has become my true second family. And the people I have had the pleasure to meet, the projects we have worked hard to complete, and -most importantly- the memories we have made will be things I will be grateful for and treasure for the rest of my life. 

My Service Corps group and I after our service project- Operation Ocean Oasis

A Service Corps night after guest speaker Cornell came and talked with us