We had a visit to the cancer institute today, to distribute clothes, soaps, food and other things to the people there, along with the Matriculation school. It had to be one of the most moving experiences for me, as I haven't spent a lot of time around people who are very ill. In the morning, set up a stall to give out a box of sarees, towels, soaps etc. to all the out-patient adults. I did understand the good of what I was doing, but felt less part of it. However, after this, we went to the children's ward to give out sweets and talk to the kids. This was really the part of my visit that touched me the most. To see rooms full of young, innocent faces, battling one of the worst possible illnesses so optimistically was inspiring for me. In a way, I loved how innocent they were; none of them felt sorry for themselves, nor did they expect anything from us. They were content to see these strangers bringing them lots of sweets and laughing with them and talking to them about their favourite sports. If I couldn't see their shaved heads and pallid skin, I would think they were just like all other children. Yet how could they smile and laugh so truthfully still? I think that's what really made me think; those children would have undergone the worst kinds of suffering, yet not even realised that their lives were on the line. To them, their treatment was part of everyday life, something they had to do and therefore did. That's something a lot of other people, from personal experience, I know cannot do, without self-pity atleast sadness.
I feel my experience with those children today is going to stay in my head for a long time. I felt a little bit disadvantaged, as I couldn't speak Tamil, and mostly just listened to others' conversations, and smiled at them. Honestly, I probably felt more depressed about their situation than any of them looked. That was difficult for me, but I'm happy for what I could do for them, even if it was only little.
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