Yesterday, I had a meeting with one of my coaching clients shortly after my afternoon hospice shift. Though I’d taken a little time to debrief with the wonderful volunteer who was replacing me, still the losses of the preceding week and my conversations with the current residents were still fresh in my mind (and my heart). After I’d shared with my client that it had been a bit of a rugged shift, she asked me this question: “Do you volunteer there because you know that you are helping other people? Or do you get something out of it for yourself?”

I suspect most of us have been asked this question at some point. And certainly I’ve asked it of other volunteers in my research. My own answer is always the same: “I get an enormous amount from this work. I suspect I get more than I give.” My client, however…