We walked into the Old age home in the afternoon, unsure of how this visit would unfold. Though we’ve visited many homes before, this time was different. We were few in number, our leader had almost decided to drop this visit, as one by one our numbers began to fall. Unprepared and a bit wearily we walked into a room filled with unsmiling faces of around 50 elder ladies, visibly they were not happy because we were late and their afternoon tea was delayed! Ahhhh!
As we quickly handed out the snacks, hoping that this would cover up some of the damage done, we realized our guitarist had not yet arrived, and were left with 50 pairs of eyes staring back at us, waiting for something to happen! Again the thought of ‘we should not have come’ resurfacing its ugly head. But then something strange happened. One of the active inmates began to sing a common song, and many of us joined in, as the song progressed another inmate suggested that we take photos,. Taking the hint we got one of our cute guys, ’the guy with the chocolate looks’, to take selfies with the ladies. This surely amused them much and got their spirits high. By then our guitarist walked in and the whole place lights up. Phew!
While we all sang, slowly they warmed up to us and began to give requests and sing along, even the timid ones began to join our games after a bit of cajoling, off course! Now we could see smiles all around. But I noticed this particular elder who was sitting far away from the entire group. Her face filled with warts! Possibly too afraid to be a part of the group or afraid of being looked down at (I couldn’t tell). I quickly went over to her, gave her a hug, a wink, and told her she looked pretty. She spontaneously broke into, what I think was— half a smile, and a grump which lasted for quite a while. I distinctly got this feeling that the poor lady had forgotten even how to smile!
As it was time to leave, and we began to wish a few and hug them goodbye, one by one they began to line up, eagerly waiting for their share of hugs. Next was this young pretty girl, who whispered, ‘Don’t go’ and looked straight into my eyes. That moment echoed a deep sorrow in my heart and I gave her an extra long bear hug! Just the fact that a young girl is required to stay in an elder home, could unearth a bitter past. But her request hit me even harder, cause the two or three hours we spent here, was too less a time to shower love and joy in a place where there is so much loneliness, depression and unworthiness felt by the inmates. How much can the few nuns and humble sisters do, they themselves bogged down with the daily chores of looking after so many elders. No wonder they welcome any kind of time spent and assistance they get from all who come, and truly there are too few groups that pay a visit to the elder homes. This visit was surely worth the effort!
My late uncle would always say, “My dear, When you come home, the house lights up”. I would laugh back “how can a person give out light?”. But now when I think of it, we are all born to be like sunshines that light up our surroundings. Each one of us have been given this inborn quality to emit love that we inherited from our God himself.
