Friday, 19 June 2026By 4L Lucas Cheung
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – William Shakespeare
My first volunteer service was in Secondary One, and I regarded it solely as a plain addition to my curriculum. Three years have passed since I embarked on this journey of service-learning, and my views on it have radically changed.
Serendipitously, I was honoured with the opportunity to be involved in a programme that connected students and senior citizens. The programme enables lifelong learning for seniors in school communities, engaging them in society and keeping their lives evergreen.
Due to the difference in age, there was a wide chasm between the elderly and us. Many might call it a generation gap, but communication proved to be the most challenging part for me. Communication is rarely straightforward; it can be hindered by emotional and physical barriers that distort messages. For instance, the seniors had difficulty hearing us in a room where multiple people spoke simultaneously. While the elderly did find pleasure in sharing their ideas publicly, we, in comparison, did not. This created complications, especially for tasks that required cooperation between our two distinct generations.
Bridging the generational chasm requires more than mere tolerance; it demands mutual understanding. In the context of cooperative tasks, effective communication aligns everyone towards a common goal. In the game we played, we proposed a solution where only one person would speak at a time while using gestures so that the seniors knew whom to pay attention to. To our surprise, this solution was exceptionally effective, leading us to complete the game with minimal mistakes and faster than ever before.
Participating in a programme that connects us with senior citizens has been exceptionally enlightening. My life has been enriched through engaging in meaningful interactions with the elderly. Despite the significant disparity in age, which initially posed communication challenges, I learnt the importance of mutual understanding beyond mere tolerance. Reflecting on my journey of service-learning, I have realised how profoundly it has shaped my life. Instead of considering it a mere obligation, I have embraced it as a transformative experience.