Some Lessons from the Assembly Line!

Andrew's Braackma', in his essay Some Lessons from the Assembly Line, gained a new insight on life. Factory work has taught him--he is lucky to have gotten an education, how to work hard, and how easy it is to lose that work once you have it. I also did some volunteer work that changed my life.  
I remember a couple of years ago my mom had volunteered me to help out our local Catholic church. I couldn't believe she was making do this. I hated the idea of having to get up at 6:00 a.m., walk two miles to the church, and help other volunteers set up for "El Dia de la Virgen, December 12." Don't get me wrong I love this celebration, but having to help set up was something I did not want to do. I was also upset because I was going to miss the parade. When I arrived, I was immediately put to work. I had to carry heavy boxes filled with the Mexican flag, red, white, green strings, yarns, bows, hats, flowers to a room across the parking. I had to do this over twenty-times back and forth. I wouldn't have been complaining so much if the sun wasn't burning hot. We started setting up the tables and chairs. I was carrying one of the tables, and I tripped, and it fell on my foot. I was about to just give up and leave, but then I saw all the people arriving to the church. A car had arrived, and it had a bunch of pans and pots full tamales, rice, beans, nopales, red salsa, green salsa, carnitas, tortillas, etc. It was heaven. When we had put everything together, it looked amazing. I couldn't believe how much our hard work had paid off. Everybody was having a great time just talking, eating, and laughing.
My mom volunteering me to help changed my life. I help out every year, and not only for this celebration, but all of the other ones too. I love the idea of helping people. I get an amazing feeling.