Recently retired, Mary and Michael have found new purpose through volunteering, inspired by their daughter Jen’s involvement with Ability West. This connection helped them build friendships and support with other parents of adult children with disabilities.
Volunteering runs in the family. Mary’s 89-year-old mother has always been active, and that spirit continues. Mary and Michael love delivering meals and companionship to older people in Galway City through COPE Galway’s Meals4Health service. It’s opened their eyes to the power of simple human connection. “A friendly chat, they say, can be as nourishing as a hot meal”.
Outside their volunteering, they enjoy helping neighbours with gardening and errands, small acts that make a big difference.
Michael, a former postman, reflects: “I’ve learned more about my community in three years of volunteering than I did in my whole working life.”
Retirement brought questions like: “Who am I now?”, but Mondays now begin with purpose. Michael admits he might not have started volunteering without Mary. His advice? “Step out of your comfort zone, just give it a go.” Their philosophy: “The best food you can bring to anyone is humanity.”
Tá Mary agus Michael díreach tar éis dul ar scor, agus tá cuspóir nua aimsithe acu sa saol trí obair dheonach – cuspóir a spreagadh de bharr na mblianta atá caite ag a n-iníon Jen ag obair le Ability West. Tríd an gceangal sin, osclaíodh a súile don tacaíocht agus cairdeas láidir a chruthaítear i measc tuismitheoirí a bhfuil páistí fásta faoi mhíchumas acu.
Tá an spiorad deonach sa teaghlach le fada. Tá máthair Mhary, atá 89 bliain d’aois, gníomhach ina pobal le blianta fada, agus leanann an oidhreacht sin ar aghaidh. Tríd an tseirbhís Meals4Health atá ag COPE Galway, seachadann Mary agus Michael béilí chuig daoine scothaosta i gcathair na Gaillimhe agus déanann siad comhrá leo, rud atá an-tábhachtach. “Tá píosa cainte chomh maith le béile mhaith”, a deir siad.
Taobh amuigh den obair dheonach cabhraíonn siad lena gcomharsana go rialta le garraíodóireacht agus cúraimí beaga eile – gníomhaíochtaí beaga a dhéanann difríocht mhór. Ag cuimhneamh siar dó, deir Michael, iar-fhear poist, “D’fhoghlaim mé níos mó faoi mo phobal le trí bliana anuas tríd an obair dheonach ná mar a d’fhoghlaim mé i gcaitheamh mo shaol oibre.”
Nuair a chuaigh sé ar scor bhíodh ceisteanna ag rith trína cheann ar nós “Cé mise anois?” – ach ó thosaigh sé ar an obair dheonach, tosaíonn gach Luan le cuspóirí éagsúla: Admhaíonn Michael nach mbeadh sé tar éis tosú ar an obair dheonach gan spreagadh ó Mhary. A chomhairle? “Téigh thar do chrios chompord – bain triail as.” A bhfealsúnacht: “Is é an cothú is fearr is féidir leat a thabhairt ná cineáltas.”