"Not all support involves money. Believing in someone is priceless." - Paulo Coelho
Picture taken on the bus ride back to office, after we visited a Home as part of CSR efforts. #momentrecorded
This was first written and shared on Blogger - 15 December 2019.
The auntie held my right hand, warmly. She slowly twisted my fingers, all 5 of them. Then, she pulled my arm towards her. She was seated in the wheelchair. From my observations, her limbs were all heavy and swollen, her facial expression was stiff and she had an uneven smile.
We had just completed a game of Bingo and she was very excited that she was lucky. She managed to form two straight lines. "Sham-poo," she quietly echoed after me, for she has won herself a bottle of Shampoo.Winning the game of Bingo had warmed her up and even the heavy rain could not diminish her lopsided smile.
"What.. is... your... name?" She carefully murmured into my ears, hinting me to come closer. She was having much difficulties in her speech. But she kept trying still.
"Hello, I am K." I quickly came up with an easy name for her to call me. "I am K." I repeated. "K". I offered to shake her hands.
She grabbed my hand with much strength. Her hands were warm and soft, her skin slightly wrinkled and dry. While she was holding my hands, I felt at ease. Her big warm hands somehow made me realised how small my problems and troubles are.
"Hello... nice ... to ... meet you. I ... am ... Yeeeee - Nahh." She slurred her speech and slowly completed her sentence, word by word. She pointed to her name tag on the table. I repeated her name and she smiled.
"Pull, pull..." she slowly repeated. She pulled my hand. I was confused by her movements and speech, so I squatted down beside her. She gestured for me to wriggle my fingers and stretch my arms. Later on, I realised that she was sharing with me what the nurses at the Home did for her everyday, so that her fingers will not stiffen up.
"Are you student or working?" She came up this sentence, breathlessly. "I am working," I explained. Then I went on to share that we represent the company to form an ensemble to perform for the residents in the Home today, and we hoped that they enjoyed themselves.
She shared some personal stories of herself, and also her faith. And though one of her eyes was already partially blind, she looked at me in my eye and smiled, so genuinely. She held my hands tighter.
We didn't had much time to interact and it was time to go. She held on to my hands and didn't want to let go, then she quietly took a moment and said a prayer for me before I took my leave. A part of me had this warm and fuzzy feeling.
"I like you. Thank you."
Before we left the Home, she looked at me, smiled and said, “健康、开心，最重要。”
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