This thought came to me when I was involved in volunteering project at a hospital’s paediatric ward to bring cheer to children. Many of the kids had never left the hospital since the time they were born due to the nature of their illness. That experience of walking into the ward with a smile, engaging them, playing with them, talking to them, it made them so happy. I was so overwhelmed by it, it brought tears to my eyes. Another moving experience was during a visit to a home for the elderly. Some of the residents had no children or relatives, and hence were forced to move to the care of the home. Others had children who did not have the time or resources to take care of them and were sent there. I struggled to control my emotions as I heard their stories. They were so happy that we visited because they are lonely. One of the residents with a failing memory forgot an entire 10-min conversation she had with me just minutes ago and couldn’t even recognise me though she had just spoke to me. That made me realise how little time we have with our loved ones and we should not wait for the day that they forget us to spend quality time with them. It’s absolutely true what they say, that you don’t know it until you experience it. Hearing about someone’s experience volunteering and actually experiencing it yourself gives you a whole different perspective. It makes you realise how blessed you are. We take so much for granted in our life while a world exists out there where people are struggling for basic needs. I am grateful to be in a position to lend a helping hand to someone in need. This act of giving is a blessing one and a reminder to appreciate what we have.“Volunteering has made me realise that we often fail to appreciate the greatest gift, the gift of life”.
The spirit of RYTHM has also inspired my family and I to actively join charity events organised by our temple to help the needy. As a family, we also do our own bit to give back by distributing food to the homeless and donating groceries to families in need. If you think you can help in any way, you should, it doesn’t take much to make someone’s day better. For some it could just be a bag of rice or a new school bag. Just as Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran always says —all it takes is to do it from your heart. Most importantly, remember to appreciate your family, the food you have, your job, the roof above your head, and never compare your life with others.”Trisha Ter has contributed 20 hours so far this year serving underprivileged communities in Malaysia.
