We Are One, But We Are Together

Today’s world, with its fast-changing agenda and trends, has also taken on a hard-to-reach standard through a competition that treats the newest “maximum” as the new normal, and invites everyone to share only their best version. In this atmosphere, young people often feel isolated in the labyrinth of their own struggles and as if they cannot truly connect. As a result of modern life, which moves quickly and pushes us into the role of passive participants through mostly one-way interactions, young people are drawn into a way of living where, instead of taking a step, they judge themselves more harshly each day, compare themselves, and admire from a distance.

Volunteering, however, calls young people beyond that abstract “screen,” back to a “normal” where real contact and concrete experience exist. Volunteering is not only an act of kindness; it gives young people the chance to say, “I am here, and I am a meaningful part of this society.” This experience helps young people stop being passive observers and become active participants.

And right here, unlike the distance that comes with being a spectator, the transformative power of being part of something steps in. Real-world, tangible actions, like setting up a table together during a project, witnessing a child’s sincere smile, or sharing the moment a tree is planted, create the “normal” that young people rediscover through volunteering. Because people build bonds when they make contact; but when they contribute, they feel themselves as a valuable part of the whole.

This state of concrete contribution is a vital process for young people’s identity building. Volunteering experiences give them the feeling that “what I do has an impact.” That sense of impact nourishes self-confidence, social responsibility, and self-worth. And as a young person sees their potential more clearly, they become more hopeful, both toward the world and toward themselves.

In short, in an age where individualism is dominant, young people coming together and reaching out to society carries a strong call for solidarity, saying: “We are not alone. Change is possible when we are together.” Every young person who volunteers does not merely take part in an activity; they revive the solidarity at the heart of being human and remind us of this clearly: We are one, and we are together. And when we are together, we are much stronger.

This is like, in an orchestra, choosing to play an instrument instead of only being a listener; rather than just hearing the music, you become part of the music itself, part of what is created, and you feel how your sound shapes the whole composition.