Love Thy Neighbors

I had a great Mother’s Day this year, being surrounded by children and mothers in my community. For the first time, I took part in the dance performance with my neighbors to celebrate the Mother’s Day last Saturday, the 12th of May. Looking at the great photos of many young and old smiling faces, it felt wonderful and meaningful to perform on stage with my neighbors and to get close to them.

The dance performance reminded me of the social gathering in my childhood. In the late fifties and early sixties, people couldn’t afford to go to the movie theatres and restaurants. Radios, televisions, entertainment resources were scarce. Whenever there was a free movie or show in the community, people would take the stools from home to pack the center. Everybody could call one another by names. People were more intimately connected.

Nowadays, people are affluent financially and technologically. From Web site to ipod, we can watch YouTube on the laptop not going anywhere. The virtual distance between people has disappeared. We can easily reach anybody on earth with a click on the keyboard. However life becomes more isolated and secluded. Neighbors in the same building don’t know one another.

Today I took the initiative to start my not-for-profit work at Hsin-tien Volunteer Service Team which is located on the roof terrace of Hsin-tien Library. It takes me less than five minutes to walk to the Unit. My job is to visit old and lonely low-income neighbors, to talk with them and to listen to their stories.

There is a Chinese saying, “Neighbors serve better than family at far”. I am glad that I have the opportunity to meet with senior citizens in my community at my prime time. One day I will become old. I hope I could greet volunteer neighbors at my home. I shall prepare chocolate cakes and coffee for them while they listen to my stories. It is great to know neighbors who care. It is great to help neighbors in need. It is great to get connected with neighbors!