The disabled home was filled with women and girls of all ages, from infancy to late adulthood, all of whom had some level of physical and/or psychological disability. Many of the women were wheelchair bound and even more were mute. As soon as I walked through the doors, a young woman yelled, βAunty!β at me, took my hand and brought me over to a group of women who wanted to introduce themselves.
And so began the next three weeks of one of the most incredible experiences Iβve ever had in my life. My part as a participant was to help teach life skills or some academic lessons in the mornings, feed lunch to some of the more severely physically disabled, and partake in a hands on fun game in the afternoon that varied by day. But most importantly, those of us joining with the disabled home were asked to just spend time with the women and girls, whether it be by playing tag, singing, or even just sitting together hand in hand. I gained so many insights on what is important in this world just through these simple acts; the women and girls of the home gave to me more than I can ever return. They made me realize that life really isnβt so much about what we do and how people see us, but instead the hearts and lives we touch along the way.
There was a woman who couldnβt speak, look me in the eye everyday and touch her cheek to mine. Communication at the most profound level. There was a little girl who smiled and hugged me tight every time I told her how much I loved her. While I was there, she would never let go. And neither did I. My best buddy was a blind woman who played the piano with me on my last day. She asked me to sing to her but I canβt sing well. I sang anyway and she smiled brightly as if I had the most beautiful voice in the world. A young girl did not speak English and I did not speak Tamil. She was leaving for a boarding school, so I knelt down to her and signed that our hearts are always together. She understood and it took one look from her to me to realize that deep down, she helped me understand too.
And on days when I felt emotionally drained, my friends at The Green Lion were always there at the end of the day to invigorate my spirit. Between the staff and the volunteers, I was consistently surrounded by individuals who always reminded me of how pure and selfless the world could be, and not a day went by where I didnβt make irreplaceable memories. Honestly, they became more than just my friends; they became my family. A family from all over the world and different backgrounds. Family who taught me about different cultures and languages and about kindness and growth. Family who showed me that there is no amount of time that you need to know someone before you are able to give to them. I learned so much from these people and I can never thank them enough for all that they gave me.
On my last day at the home, we had a party for a participant who was leaving after a six month stint in the home. It was a day of celebration and of pure happiness that still stands out months later as one of the best days of my life. The entire day was spent singing and dancing with the women and girls amongst music and games, and the other Green Lion participants and I even stayed past our working hours to partake in the festivities, not wanting the day to end. When it finally did and we had to say our goodbyes, my brain immediately started turning to figure out the soonest possible time that I could find my way back to Sri Lanka to do it all again.
