The silver lining

Anmol Rana,X -C
It’s a pleasant feeling when you know that someone loves you and someone is considerate towards you. But for the people in the home for the aged,these feelings are rare. When we reached the Old Age Home in Mehrauli,there was pin-drop silence. All the students of our school went there to amuse,entertain,spread the magic of love in their lives and to lessen the grief from their lives. There were exchanges of soothing melodies between us. We sang songs with them and had fun.I will always remember my visit to the home for the aged. It taught me lessens in compassion and love.

Namrata Hegde,X-C
The sacrifices by aged people are being ignored by their own children. When I entered the old age home,I realised the plight of the old people who once held the little fingers of their children and are now alone when they need support. But Help Age India came forward to help them. On April 25,we went to an Old Age Home. After quite a long journey,we finally reached there. I felt a little apprehensive in the beginning. I found a number of old people there. One of them had a sad story to tell. Her son went abroad for his studies and married an NRI woman and settled there. When his mother made a call to him he rejected her proposal to come back. She was left alone without any money. Her story filled my eyes with tears. We tried cheering them up by singing songs and bhajans.

Ashish Bansal,X-C
I,along with my classmates and teachers,went to an old age home in Mehrauli some days ago. As we reached there,I saw that the eyes of the residents were gleaming with excitement and they welcomed us warmly. We were instructed not to hurt their feelings and emotions. We started chatting with them and we became privy to some of the most beautiful moments of their lives. They even advised us and I am determined to act upon their advice. Then we sang songs and hymns. In return they gifted us with their blessings. It felt sad saying good bye to them. They asked us to “come again”. I just felt sad for the people who separate their parents from themselves.It was a precious experience for me but when I think about them today,I feel “Are they really happy without their children?” The answer is still to come.

Nitish Dwivedi,X-C
Spending time with aged people is a great pleasure and I got a great opportunity for spending time with not one or two but with many senior citizens when I visited the home for the old some days ago. It was my first visit to an old age home. As soon as I entered,I could feel their warmth. We all were eagerly waiting to talk to them. I started interacting with an old lady and she told me about her likes and dislikes. She spoke of her childhood memories. I talked to many others too. It was a great pleasure talking to them. It was hard to believe that they were discarded by their families but,in spite of being ignored by their families,they still had a smile on their faces. They sang songs merrily and we too joined them. I could feel they still have the affection for their family members and have the desire to rejoin them. I came to know that they miss them a lot. We liked their company and wanted to stay there long but could not. I will remember this experience all through my life.

Rashi Patel,XI-A
When children push their parents out of their house,the parents have no other choice but to come to an Old Age Home. When I visited the home for the aged some days ago,I came to realism that all they needed was love and care. They were kind and polite with us. In just one hour,I formed a bond with them. I felt as if they were my own grandparents. My friends sang songs with them and they even cracked jokes. But I still could not understand how their children could leave them alone. I think you should never push your parents out of the house as they are the ones who have given us the right to live in society,made us capable enough to walk along with society. Love your parents,respect them and you will be the happiest person in the world.