T.H.E.Seniors

My group visited Mdm T. and Mdm W. today.


I actually got to see Mdm T. down at the void deck collecting her meal while I was doing facilitation. She was sitting there all by herself, and when Xue Li and I came over to say hi, her face immediately lit up and she gave her usual hearty chuckle. For those who do not know, Mdm T.'s eyesight is rather poor so she didn't know who we were. I think she was genuinely surprised when she heard my voice and I could tell that she knew we were NUS students. This really goes to show how much we mean to her because she could have just as easily said something like, " 你们是谁?" but she didn't. During the actual visit, it was like the usual practice, where we would do some simple household chores for her and talk to her. To be honest, despite her poor eyesight, Mdm T. is still very independent about the house as she still does her own cooking and cleaning. Sometimes, as we talk, she will lament about the fact that she doesn't like to go out of her house because she cannot really see where she's going. However, whenever we asked whether she wants to go down and just take a walk or sit at the coffee shop, she's very reluctant because she doesn't want to be a burden to us. After all my visits with her, I can tell that Mdm T. is one of the most humble and considerate people I have ever met. Even though I would prefer that she doesn't see herself as a liability to others, I really admire her personality and strength of character.

We then visited Mdm W. and that was my second visit. Once again, Victoria was the only canto-speaking person in my group so she did most (okay, fine.. ALL) of the talking. I was trying to be an active listener and although I couldn't understand what was being exchanged between them, I was at least trying to infer what was being said. And I must say it was quite fun for the rest of us trying to guess what they're talking about. We then started watching TV and that proved to be more interactive, surprisingly. Even though we may be hampered by our language barrier, our thoughts are still synonymous with each other when everyone laughed on what was showing on TV. It was sad to bid farewell at the end, but I could really see that Mdm W. appreciated our company. 

As the semester has just started and work begins to pile up, I really hope that every one of us here will take a step back and just take a deep breath. I shall not deny that studies are important, but I also believe that what you do with your life is equally as important. Our existence on this Earth and the things we do make a difference to the lives of others, however small that may be. Be it helping the elderly or less fortunate, spending your time well at homes for children or persons with disabilities, going for blood donation drives or simple acts like giving up your seat to others, all these little actions work towards a common goal, and that is to make our society a better place to live in for everyone.

Andy