One of the oldest adages known to mankind is from both the Golden Rule and the Christian Bible: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “It is better to give than receive.”

In today’s society, those sentiments all too often get shoved aside to pave the way for personal ambition, financial success, instant gratification, and other very self rewarding behaviours we’ve learned. It’s all dog-eat-dog and “me first.”

However, humanity hasn’t really changed that much: A person’s most basic, primal instinct is self-preservation and self-protection.

This is certainly understandable; we are inherently “wired” to hang on, to keep on going, to try harder — even when the “going” gets tough, as they say.

Euphemisms aside, here’s a secret, and it’s very, very simple: When you show appreciation for others and give of yourself, you will reap innumerable pleasurable benefits — for yourself, of course — but more, much more importantly, for the other person or people we’re affecting.

Why? Our second most basic instinct is simply this: to help others. Volunteerism is the act of selflessly giving your life to something you believe free of pay. And here we can take a lesson from our youth.

For extraordinary efforts in serving others through volunteerism, 10 middle and high school students from across the United States were named America’s top 10 youth volunteers recently. Ranging in age from 11 to 18, these young men performed these tasks:

1. A 17 year old spearheaded a project that placed “personal emergency dialers” in the homes of nearly 50 senior citizens in his community, to enable them to call for help quickly and easily in case of emergency;
2. A 12 year old organised an annual carnival and a 5K race that together have raised more than $40,000 over two years for sick and disadvantaged children in Africa;
3. A 13 year old led a student community service group in a multifaceted project to reduce the adverse environmental impact of discarded consumer electronics-or “e-waste”-through recycling, public education and legislation;
4. Another 13 year old is waging an extensive, multi-state campaign called ‘Pump ’em Up’ to conserve energy resources and reduce pollution by urging drivers to keep their tires property inflated and thereby burn less gasoline;
5. And an 18 year old lost nearly all of his possessions when Hurricane Katrina flooded his coastal city, yet devoted himself to distributing emergency supplies to other victims immediately after the storm, and helped many families clean out their homes in the following weeks and months.

Other honourees made significant contributions to their communities by building a radio station and creating “barn quilts” to boost tourism. Still others founded a successful inner-city service organisation for young people, worked to keep lead-tainted toys off of store shelves and started a nonprofit foundation that has collected and distributed personal-care products and other items to needy kids in the local community and around the world.

Sure, the world’s a mess but it depends on how you look at it. Those ten youngsters should be an example for us “old ones”. Perspective changes everything, and when you DO change your perspective, say, from negative to positive, you won’t believe the effects it will have on both your mental and physical wellbeing.

When’s the last time you visited an elderly person? Can you recall how you felt while you were in this person’s presence? Did you say, “I want to make this person happy; nothing else really matters right now”?

When did you last drop a dollar in a blind man’s tin bucket as he played guitar on the street? Didn’t you feel more humble, more a part of the world around you, and closer to everyone, in that one moment?

Those moments are precious to our very spirit, because they fulfill part of our reason to be here: to switch channels from the “me” category and, even just for a moment, appreciate the light and happiness we can bring to others — simply by paying attention to them, and simply by sharing who we are with who they are.

Giving can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Volunteering has a positive effect on your community AND yourself.

Don’t assume that what would be rewarding to you is going to automatically be rewarding to others. Some people like amusement parks, others like opera. Some like fast food, others are vegetarian, etc., etc. Instead of spending money and energy into doing something for someone that they may not like or appreciate, just give of yourself. That’s the only priceless gift.