Intergeneration Day

On the 14th of June, the real Integration Day took place after rounds of adjustment and planning. Due to the fact that I failed to turn up at the dry run owing to my competition at the Annual National Taekwondo Championship, it was on the real day that I first got to know how things would work out on that day.

I reached school half an hour earlier before the organizational committee gave us a briefing. It was a very bright and sunny and hot day, and I was in a very lethargic mood. Our group was to take charge of the ‘three-legged’ run game, and we were handed a whole bundle of ropes. I felt like tying myself to the stadium steps, not wishing to stand under the burning field.

At around 10 o’clock in the morn, the participants flooded into RI’s field and there was at least a few hundreds of them, consisting of the young, the old and the older. I was surprised at the attendance turn out, and the organizational capability of Virya.

Before the day of games started, our group was chosen to demonstrate and explain all the games to the crowd, leaving RJC participants the joy to watch with the participants. Ravins, Brandon and Ryan were very elaborate in showing how the games were supposed to be played, and since there wasn’t a need for more manpower, I became the cameraman and the sole witness of their hard work.

All the lethargic feelings were gone once the game commenced, for I was busy tying up people’s legs…I really hated myself for not being present at the dry run for I would have suggested to Virya to have their participants wearing long pants, for the friction between the rope and the skin might lead to burns to the skin, and, we would not have accidentally come into contact with the participants’ legs which had led to unhappiness of a few of the hairy male participants. After tying up a few families I became an expert at it, and this evidently increased the efficiency of the proceedings.

Seeing some of the families taking great care of each of the family members while playing the game was a real comfort to me, after being baked under the sun for 4 hours. I think the game day was indeed helpful in forming closer bonds between fathers and sons, grandmas and granddaughters. This definitely helped a great deal in bridging up what we deem as generation gaps, for under the competitive atmosphere of the games, what I saw were unity and love.

Beside taking part in ensuring the smooth run of the game, I also had the chance to interact with some of the participants. Through conversing with some of them I realised that they were really enjoying themselves in the games and considered them helpful in bringing the family together. It greatly encouraged me and I suddenly had the urge to stand under the sun just for them for another 4 hours if not for the end of the games day.

During lunch break, I had the chance to chat with other volunteers of the games day, and they were evidently all very excited and contented as I was. I think that was when the learning part comes in after service, learning about the importance of caring and sharing, and at the same time, discovering about myself, too. I had numerous experience interacting with old folks, physically disabled and even normal patients at the NUSH, but this four hours of squatting down and tying people up was definitely something more direct and immediate in helping other people.yeah.

It was certainly a great day for me,and hopefully for the participants, too.