Question

Write a composition (in approximately 400-450 words) on the following subject:

During the summer break, you joined a group of young people who read to the elderly at a senior citizens home. Narrate your experience of reading to the elderly and the interactions you had with them. How did this experience impact you?

Answer 1

Exam tension had at last disappeared over the summer break, allowing space for fun and relaxation. Typical way to relax in my days was games, films and social events: Still, a moment of reflection really hit me. Realising I was living just for myself and not thinking about the wellbeing of others, I wondered why. This insight set off an irresistible need to do social service.

Luckily, I came onto a group committed to visiting an elderly home. Inspired by this, I choose to help by reading to the elderly. I was told I read really brilliantly. I could control my voice and clearly express myself. Characters would come alive and events would become poignantly charged when I read. Snap then made the decision! Reading and recounting it was fantastic.

Thrice in a week, I would visit the old age home and chat to the residents. After that, I would start rereading my best story books with wonderful feeling and sweep them out. I would like to fit the characters by changing my voice and bring life into them. Day by day, more and more individuals came to enjoy listening to me; they would eagerly await my visits. This motivated me to search for fresh, significant dramas with plenty of conflict.

It was a shocker how much the elderly desired company and how much they loved someone spending important events with them. My heart went to an octogenarian who kept a young zeal when it came to mystery stories with lots of suspense, turns and twists. He would tell tales from long ago. He used to be quite a devotee of Agatha Christie's Sherlock Holmes and Hercules Poirot. Given the chances to interact with the children, I came to see they shed their hopelessness and started to enjoy their time with us.

I count my reading times as a gift. This was a moving reminder that the elderly search for compassion, time, a listening ear, and a loving heart rather than worldly pleasures. This encounter has helped me to realise the value of giving our time and attention to people in need instead of wasting it on pointless hobbies.

Remember that ultimately we shall all be in the position of the old, maybe depending on others for different reasons. When that moment comes, we will most certainly value the company, communication, and empathy just as much as they do now. Interacting with the elderly not only improves their quality of life but also helps us to be ready for the future and promotes mutual support and community.