Author: Chris Nardone
The pandemic. Wow.
I was at my lowest point. Many factors led me there, and I needed help. A lot of help.
Weeks were hard. Days were hard. Heck, sometimes even hours were hard. Like an unmoored boat rocking against the waves, I was lost. I no longer knew myself and certainly had no sense of purpose.
But my community reached out. They lifted me when I was down. Their strength became my strength. They nurtured me, rebuilt me, and made me whole again. I grew into the best version of myself I had been in 40 years.
Serendipitously, the rebuilt me volunteered at the house. That work team event was the spark. The fire lit, I knew this was a community in need—a community filled with struggle and sadness, but also joy, letdowns, good news, bad news, and, most of all, need.
They needed me. And as I spent more time with these special people, I realized I needed them—maybe even more than they needed me. They were no longer just a community in need; they became a community I needed.
That’s when the magic happened. They gave me meaning, passion, joy, sadness—but above all, purpose.
Since the early 2020s, I’ve seen so many families come and go. Some with fantastic news, others with tremendous heartache. But through all the turbulence, we shared a brief and beautiful time together.
Me, invited into their community.
And they, a significant part of mine.
That’s my why.
They’re my purpose.
About Red Shoe Society
Red Shoe Society is a young professionals’ organization dedicated to supporting the ever increasing fundraising and volunteer needs of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. Members of the Society benefit by taking part in hands-on volunteer opportunities, serving in a leadership capacity, or through the various networking opportunities the organization provides.