For Gail Endelman Small, volunteering is a way of life. She comes from a long line of volunteers. Her mother and grandmother both did volunteer work, her brother, an attorney, volunteers, and her son Michael recently volunteered in Africa. So, there is no coincidence that her new and eighth book is called, "Joyful Volunteering."

Small has a certain youthfulness about her, which makes her curly shoulder-length brown hair and soft brown eyes come alive. She smiles the entire interview and covers her eyes, as if not to see, as she says her age out loud.

"63, I can't believe it," Small says.

She is an author, public speaker, former teacher and lifelong volunteer. She worked as a teacher within the Conejo Valley for over 20 years. She taught in an "open-class" classroom, which is a non-traditional form of teaching, where seats are not assigned, journaling is encouraged and feelings are spoken about.

"I had a student walk up to me in the middle of instruction and hand me a note," Small recalls and takes a sip of water to clear her throat. "The note read: I'm late because daddy hit mommy. I've always encouraged my students to talk to me, and they really did."

Small has adventures that are reminiscent of pirates tales. She has visited every continent more than once and even met the President of Russia after ditching her guided tour and roaming the woods. She was in Antarctica during the march of the penguins and leads public speeches on self-esteem in Japan. Her husband is a map expert and illustrates all of her books. Small has been twice featured in the renowned "Chicken Soup…" collections.

"I live for serendipitous moments," Small says. "I view life as almost like a treasure hunt."

When her son was young and an boy scout in the Agoura Hills troops, he participated in an outdoor sleep over. Small being the light-hearted woman she is, bought a gorilla costume and bombarded the camp screaming in the suit and chasing the boys. All the boys ran and hid, including her son Michael, she remembers.

"He probably hid out of embarrassment, because he knew it was me inside," Small says.

She has been hired to give speeches on cruises, at corporate lunches, and at various conferences. She is certified on choices and the counseling practices on choices. She has worked with William Glasser of the William Glasser Institute, and has dedicated her life to making herself and the people she meets happy.

"I grew up in the Ozzie and Harriet family, and I guess I thought everybody did," Small says. "I realize now that they didn't. I try to help them with their choices."