In today’s day and age, it is rare for people to agree upon things, but one thing that is a universal agreement is that everyone desires to be happy more than anything else. Community is a major player in a person’s happiness because community is something we all constantly dwell in, whether you live for it or loathe it. Your community and the people in it shape who you are as a person, and giving back to your community is one of the most effective methods of bringing happiness into your life. Service is an outlet in which you discover yourself and your values. In my very first experience with service, I discovered this happy rush where everything felt right in the world. It was at a metro-park where the city’s fire department set up a party for a local nursing home and their residents. Because these elderly people may not see their families or friends on a regular basis, my friends and I decided to participate in this event to help fill that void in their lives. The city’s fire department sponsored this event to give these nursing home residents a fun time, something they most likely have not had in a long time. When we got there, we helped set up a variety of games, and activities. Our task was to enjoy ourselves while interacting with these people and giving them a good time as well. Many of the games that were set up were made for children, but that did not stop them from having a very enjoyable time. I believe that is a testimony to how great elderly people can be, and it is unfortunate that we often overlook them in society, because from this event I learned that they are just like us. The game that I was running most of the day was an activity where there were rubber ducks in a tub, and we had a magnetic pole to catch them. Underneath there was a number written and every one was a winner. They received their choice of prizes such as coin purses, Detroit Tigers magnets, snow globes, and others. No matter how small of a gesture this was, the look of excitement on these people’s faces made my day. Other activities that day were a petting zoo, and a clown who made balloon animals. When I did this service event, I was happily in shock with how energetic and friendly these people were. They would go up and pet the animals, get their faces painted and everything a small child would do. Towards the end of the evening, my friends and I met an amazing old woman named Alice. She was eighty years old, but you would never know it from the energy that she had. If you were around her, she shined bright, and you couldn’t help to smile around her. She would get up and start dancing to songs she had never heard before, and we taught her how to do some of the dances of our generation. It is people like these that can change the outlook that you have on life and truly make you happy. As I look back upon this service event, I realize that you can apply the properties of service to normal everyday life. Any small gesture for someone can make such a large impact, whether you know it or not. The biggest thing that I took out of it though was that seeing others have fun and being happy is the greatest form of happiness I can have myself. It reminds me of the old phrase, “giving is better than receiving”, and after this event, I firmly believe in that quote. Whether it be playing games with seniors, canning food for a homeless shelter, or cleaning up your city, the service that you can do in your community can make you unbelievably happy. Service is an outlet in which you discover yourself and your values.