St Mary’s School students visit old age home

“The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. “The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. “The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.” This is something that I realised when I visited an old age home. In collaboration with the Indian Express, our school organized a visit to a senior citizens’ home at Uttam Nagar, Delhi. Before this, I had never been to an old age home, so I was wondering what would it be like. Would the people present there be happy to see us and what would be the topic of our conversation ? And as soon as we reached there, I got all my answers. The inmates were very hospitable and friendly, and they welcomed us with their beautiful smiles. To break the monotony of their lives, we presented a few songs and a dance for them. We also made them sing and dance along with us. Some of them broke into tears when we presented them Christmas gifts . We were able to make out that they were very happy to have us there ,and they also mentioned this in their vote of thanks. They also said that they’ll look forward to our visit again .I knew from their expressions that they were longing to share their grief with someone. I was in tears. I found two categories of people there: the ones who were abandoned and deserted by their children, and others who had left their families — fed up with the humiliation and ill-treatment. Whatever the case may be, the sufferers are the aged ones. Old age is also called the second childhood, and is a time when one needs love and care of the near and dear. Though we spent only a few hours with them, they made me realize the value of my grandparents and the tenderness with which I need to take care of them. My love for my family, particularly my grandparents, has grown stronger and deeper now .They are the ones I ought to respect and love more than anyone else as they mould me into a fine person. I will always hold their hands and let them in into my house and my heart. Now I know for sure that what their need at this time of their lives is not so much money and luxuries as a shoulder to lean on . I will take care of my parents in the best way possible, Opportunity , words and loved ones — once gone, they never come back!
Yashika Upneja, X-D
On December 15, students of Class 10 of St Mary’s School, Dwarka, paid a visit to an old age home situated at Uttam Nagar, New Delhi to meet and spend their time with the elderly. It was an opportunity for us to share the joy and peace of Christmas with them. After the arrival at the old age home, all the students seated themselves down, and melodious carols sung by the school choir marked the beginning of our get-together. A dazzling salsa performance made them happier and I think they could forget at least for time being, the sorrows of not having their loved ones around. Meanwhile, the other students encouraged grandpas and grandmas to come up and enjoy a salsa dance followed by a group dance with them. This rejuvenated their drooping spirit and filled the old hearts with joy and content. They danced to their full potential, making the get-together a magnificent memory to behold. A musical game of antakshri that we played opened the invaluable treasure of songs treasured by the grannies. A grandpa who had been a five-star hotel manager thanked and shared his inspiring views with us. He said, “I appreciate the fact that the young generation is taking interest and coming to spend a little time with the old people here in this old age home. It is a great initiative taken by the school authorities and the students.” He also asked us to pay them another visit on New Year’s eve.
Before leaving for school all the students gifted Christmas presents to the elderly as a token of their love, and promised that they will visit them again.
Srishti Aggarwal, X-C
To express our solidarity with the old and desolate, we — the students of Class X, St Mary's School, Dwarka, paid a visit to an old age home in Uttam Nagar.When we reached there, we found many elderly people waiting eagerly for us. They were excited to have us with them and they looked cheerful, perhaps because they could see the reflection of their grandchildren on our faces. Their love and affection for the young was awoken in their hearts. We wished them a Merry Christmas by singing carols, followed by a beautiful and gracious dance. They relished our performance very much. Many of them forgot, for a moment, the sorrows of their hearts and fatigue of their body and danced with us. This was one of the happiest moments in my life because I believe the best way to cheer myself is to cheer someone else. As far as I am concerned, this was just the beginning and I wish to keep up this spirit by making frequent visits to such places. I pledge to love my parents more than ever.
Heena sehrawat, X-C
We, the students of Class X-C of St Mary’s School, Dwarka, went to an old-age home in Bindapur. Actually, we had great difficulty reaching there and of course we were all irritated. But, as we reached there, all our misery vanished when we saw people in their 70s and 80s welcoming us cheerfully. We all went to a room and sat down on a carpet and the elderly people sat on chairs, facing us. First we sang Christmas carols for them, and then some of our companions danced beautifully for them. After all this, we again switched on the music and danced with the uncles and aunties sitting there. They all were dancing so enthusiastically, as if their childhood had returned. As we again took our places, Kavaljit Kaur challenged us to an antakshari competition. We outnumbered them, but they all were so good that we had no chance against them. The match ended in a draw as it was their lunchtime. I helped some of them to walk in the premises of the old age home because they could not walk. Others could not see properly and some were so weak and old that they could not even speak properly. On our return journey to our school, I was frightened by the thought of landing there. We have become so selfish that we know how to accept things. We don't know how to return favors. How can a person leave his parents all alone — the parents who have raised him, the parents who care for him, the parents who are willing to do anything for him, the parents who want to be with him. I realised that in this modern world, we are so busy with our work that we tend to forget for whom we are doing it. We spend more time in our workplaces than with our families. We want money desperately but we don't remember for whom we are earning it. I was constantly reminded of a verse from the Bible: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Parv Sachdeva, X-C
On December 15, the students of Class X, along with our class teachers, visited the old age home at Bindapur. It was the first time I had visited an old age home. When we reached there some of the inmates were standing near the gate with smiling faces to welcome us all. When we reached inside the building, we saw that all the elderly folk were sitting in a room – waiting eagerly for us. We would have never found a better time for our visit as Christmas was just 10 days away. We sang and danced with them to elevate their hearts laden with agonies of separation and isolation. The people there enjoyed our performance and praised us. We took them down the sepia days of their young days when we started our game of antakshari. It was indeed a great thing to see them participating in it with vigor and enthusiasm. We would have never ended our game if the teachers wouldn’t have told us that it was time to go. I returned home with iron determination. I realised that money does not make a man happy, and my decision was that I would never allow my parents to undergo such mental torture, even if I have to sacrifice a lot of my resources, time and comfort. One of the elders addressed us and even invited us to visit them over again. Our class teachers gifted the old age home with carrom boards and chessboards. Though we could only spend a short time with them, it has left a lasting impression on our minds. We don’t know whether these senior citizens were happy or sad, living the winter of their lives in the old age home instead of being with their children, but we had a feeling of hollowness in our heart when we left. I feel the moment we consider our parents a burden in their old age we have no right to exist. The number of old age homes in India is increasing day by day. Isn’t it unfair to that mother, who gave birth to you, to treat like this? Isn’t it wrong to throw your father out of their homes? All of us will have to pass through this phase one day, how will we feel if our children also treat us the same way. We must take care of our parents and our grandparents because they need us at this age, as we needed them when we were helpless. If they would have abandoned us when we were small and given up all their duties, we wouldn’t have been here enjoying our lives. If we will not take care of our parents who will take care of them?

Ayushi Singh, X-C
Source http://www.expressindia.com/l