I went to a massage therapy volunteer with other fellow members. When I first went into the nursing home, the atmosphere was rather dark than bright. Even considering the dark weather outside, the room was darker than I expected. While we prepared for the volunteering work, we didn’t know what to do at the beginning. We looked at each other, feeling the uneasiness within the room. After I talked with the manager, I was finally able to lead members to meet the senior citizens. Since it was our first visit, senior citizens didn’t seem that excited. However, after we start singing the traditional song before performing massages to ease the atmosphere, I was able to feel that it was my misconception. At the end of the song, they all smiled and clapped for us.
Then, we assisted in massage therapy. While we weren’t professional, I was able to put my best effort and heart toward it. The most heartwarming part was when I talked with one of the senior citizens. She was 85 years old and she was living alone in the nursing home after her son went abroad. Talking with her, I was able to feel the love of parents and empathize with her. Sometimes, emotions and hearts aren’t limited by age, and I have felt that in a nursing home. When it was time to leave, I could see that the members were all reluctant to do so, as well as senior citizens. I was more than grateful to have this opportunity to connect with them; even though we went there for the purpose of volunteering, I think we learned and gained more.
I hope we can go there again when we have further opportunities.
Writer: Soyun Lee
(Picture edited due to privacy)