Shareholder.

My finger gently tapped on my phone’s screen and scrolled through the content of my Facebook feed. Photos of adorable babies and funny status updates kept me entertained, but I quickly moved my finger and eyes past the other content, “The Shares.”

Article link after link appeared in my feed and it mostly had been put there by users who had not written it themselves, but had pushed the “share” button in order to join in on the cause and commotion. By sharing they became a part of the latest secret and amazing trend.

“Try These 8 Simple Steps That Will Make Your Kids Fall In Love With Brussel Sprouts!”

“She Took A Paper Towel Tube And Transformed Her Kitchen Into The 9th World Wonder!”

“You’ll Never Guess What 5 Common Household Cleaners Lead To Weight Gain. Number 4 Will Shock You!”

I’ve done it too. I’ve shared articles or events that are near and dear to my heart, and in doing so, I’ve felt as if I’m a part of something bigger. As if I’ve joined in on the cause.

But have I really?

It cost me almost nothing, other than a quick click of my mouse or tap of my finger, to share content.

Sharing something makes me a sharer, but not a shareholder.

On the contrary, this past week I joined a group of moms at my son’s elementary school. The fifth graders are going to be performing the Wizard of Oz later this spring and the music teacher asked for volunteers to help with stage construction and design. I put my name on the list. It was a simple task to sign up, but that was just the beginning.

I then was asked to show up.

I sat on the stage in the cafeteria with a large sheet of cardboard and an Exacto knife. I was going to be drawing “Dorothy’s House” and I was cutting the backdrop to fit on the wooden frame on which it would hang.

The cafeteria soon filled with 20 third graders who had come to practice their recorders. They all played a different song at the same time. I was almost paralyzed by the “music.” The school custodian began running the vacuum on the floor about ten feet away from me. The blade on my Exacto knife kept falling off and I felt as if I was coming unglued myself.

Showing up is more difficult (and louder!) than simply pushing share.

But, if I truly believe in something, I hope I’m willing to make an effort to invest my time, talents, and treasure, even when it’s ear piercing, messy, and inconvenient. I want to show up, and become a shareholder.

And maybe invest in some ear plugs along the way.

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This post is a part of Five Minute Friday where a group of bloggers write for approximately five minutes about the same topic based on a one-word prompt. Today’s word: Share. To see more click here: http://katemotaung.com