just got back from the community center and wow, what a day! spent the afternoon with Marcus, a bright young lad with a knack for storytelling. we were supposed to be working on math, but somehow ended up swapping stories about our favorite superheroes. his eyes lit up talking about Spider-Man, and it reminded me of being his age, dreaming big and believing in the impossible. it's moments like these that make volunteering so worthwhile. who knew mentoring could be such a two-way street? feeling grateful for these unexpected joys. 