Good Citizenship

When I was young I often played with the toddlers in our neighborhood. I often played the role of a teacher in a ‘titser-titseran’ game. Whatever I learned from my teachers at school I taught my friends. Although this is a child’s play, I still reflect on those memories with great fondness because my simple effort to teach the children means a sign of responsibility towards others. To me, the care to impart knowledge to out-of-school children of my age is a sign of good citizenship. Earlier, it was my ambition that someday I will be a teacher like my tita because I grew up with her family when I was a child. As a child, I voluntarily donate old toys, used clothing & old books to less fortunate children. Normally, it is difficult to convince children from well-to-do families to give away their old things, but as a child, I can easily understand that less fortunate children always dream that someday they too can have these things for themselves. I got these qualities from my parents. They are both caring and helpful parents and I grew up witnessing their examples in caring and helping other people – especially those urgently in need of help. It’s so easy to give money to someone in need, however, genuinely attending and caring for them is a difficult task. My parents are always teaching me to understand other people – those that need help and attention.

Recently, we have an old Dutch neighbor who had some problem with his finances. He was not receiving his pension for the past 3 months. His pension from Holland has stopped remitting funds to him for a while. He had nothing to eat and had no companion for the past 3 months. He had lost a son few years back due to lung cancer and his wife left him to work in Canada. I was very worried about this old man. I asked my Papa to give him food and it had become routine to us to make sure that he has some food to eat whenever we take our meals. Aside from this, we kept him company whenever we have time. Loneliness is a big factor of depression. Our neighbor admitted he is depressed. I wouldn’t want to boast that being a friend of a poor & lonely foreigner is a sign that you are a good citizen. However, I know deep inside me that we are all citizens of this world and being a good citizen means that you help others - whatever race they belong to. This act of kindness would also inspire them to help others some day. Honestly, I also want others to help me too when I’m the one in need.