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Volunteer Work

"Take a short memory of offenses and long memory for kindness." I just came across this line somewhere which inspired me to pen down something endorsing it including an experience which I've been craving to write about. So yeah, over to the account.
After matriculation, came F O U R months of vacations and I couldn't be any more excited initially. I welcomed the summer gloriously by sleeping till noon. But seriously, I wouldn't stop thinking of things I would do and how productive I am going to end up being. I got myself new books in the sheer eagerness as well. (yayayay!) I was totally looking forward to interning somewhere amusing, freelancing(I did that for a few weeks though, by the way), MUNing, taking early tuition beforehand for college and other shabby, nerdy stuff. (wait, who am I kidding?) However...yeah, you've already guessed that things went exact opposite, haven't you? Because yes, honestly, all I did is relaaaaxing. Chilling at private beaches(military perks!!!!), exploring places, watching seasons and movies all night, hanging out, vacationing basically. Though, it was all pretty good and not that I've regrets. Regretting is for losers, but it'd been a lot nicer had I been less useless and more useful. On that note, literally all of my friends didn't spend their time any differently and that makes me feel so much better. Anyway, so basically, last month of these absolutely heavenly holidays, July, the pang of conscience began to bite and provoke me to do something different and that's how me and a friend decided to volunteer for social services at a shelter home for retards called DarulSukun. Quite frankly, my sole intention was pretty much just to chill and have a fancy reason to spend some time with friends. But before I could even realize it, it wasn't the place or my company but the purpose and those beautiful humans, whom I volunteered for, I become entirely fond of. Wow, I sound unreal, eh? The volunteer services were for some calculated hours, divided into proportions for each day, and was essentially about interacting with physically/mentally retarded children and spending some quality time with them. And I kid you not, what started as a boring task ended up as having me being nostalgic, in the end, for running out of time and not being able to meet those lovelies everyday. It's been a wonderful experience, to sum it up. I fail to understand how families discard their blood relatives from their lives and throw them away like trash to never look back to. If only there was a way to pacify those families and convince them to not give up no matter what. Those retards may be a painful burden for many but they are genuinely precious, I tell you. However, it warms my heart with utter satisfaction and makes me so glad to see organizations helping them selflessly. It's a sign of how accepting our world still is of difference and how amazing our community can be to pull together to give each other a hand up. Everyday I came to this place to escape from the constant and boring reality of the walls that surround me just to meet all these children that lived with such progressive and debilitating diseases. I witnessed them struggle with their disabilities, having physical differences that set them apart yet they were able to make my day with their innocence and spontaneous display of affection. Spending time with those kids, playing around, and interacting with them seriously made the heart flutter with happiness as they brighten up to know how they aren't left behind. One of the reasons why I grew so font was probably this heart shattering fact that we could have been in their place today, neglected by families and striving to fit in. Neither did those insane kids choose insanity nor did we, the sane ones, choose sanity. It's beyond our control and the right thing to do is embrace things and people how ever they are made. Instead of finding flaws and being ungrateful, I'd rather if we search for that little beauty that resides and value everyone. Because regardless of all the negativity and grey skies that seem to surround us, it's the positivity and silver linings that keeps everything at balance.
On another note, Ali Y, who's a great friend, recently made it to the blogosphere. Here is where he blogs at, pay him a visit!
August 16, 2013 / by / 5 Comments

5 comments:

  1. Yeah, Dar Ul Sukun is surely an amazing place to be at! :)

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  2. Aw, this is lovely. I once volunteered at TCF and taught underprivileged kids. It really opened my eyes. I haven't had much experience with special children, though. I'm so proud that you did something productive this summer and helped out! It's great that you learnt from them just as they learnt from you.

    p.s. SO JEALOUS OF THE PRIVATE BEACH THING LIKE WHATTTT

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  3. i agree with you.Those people don't need our sympathies but they only love and affection.
    P.s. new follower. follow me back =)

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  4. Nice post! It is really something worth enough to read! That's why I got a time :)

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  5. Leathers Craze
    Hello my friend! I would like to tell you that this write-up is awesome, great written and include almost all important info. I would like to see a lot more articles like this.
    Leathers Craze

    ReplyDelete

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