The Future

it was an invitation to help out at the orphanage. since it was a private event, i was thinking why not. just draw and distribute food to the kids. i thought it might do myself and the kids good since drawing is one of my favourite subjects. mediocre level compared to those friends of mine. still, i like the concept of colours being blended together and shading.

when i reached, i was the first one to reach. as i wasn't familiar with the home, i decided to loiter in my car, awaiting my friends. then, when my friend arrived, we started the meet and greet session. the kids were ravenous but surprisingly obedient. they were sitting in a big circle in the living room. hence, i started distributing the pizzas around. some were quite shy and some were quite daring. understandable as everyone is entitled to eat as much as they want.

while they were eating, i started to think. if i myself felt inadequate last time, what about they? of course, they have a shelter, a master to take care of them and an occasion outings. when i was younger, i craved for special attention. that makes me felt special. how do they feel? and i also thought about the disadvantages it brings being an orphan. well, i hope they are still too young to understand. all they should know is, with education, the possibilities are endless. i hope they have that in mind.

after the lunch, the event organiser asked the children to group around her. she was very suave and charismatic. she resembled one of my aunties residing in ampang. very similar style in the way she carry herself, the way she talk and even the cantonese dialect she speaks. i was impressed. thats how i decided, she must be as kind as the auntie i had. you may say i judge too quickly, but i say, my instinct and judgment beats your whatever-too-long-observation-requirements-to-be-good a crap. sometimes, you just know whether a person is kind or not from his/her actions and speeches. you don't have to wonder to far off.

then, she briefed them stating that she wanted to draw a picture. and the title is jeng jeng jeng, "The Future". i was taken aback for a moment there. a topic i stopped thinking for awhile. it got me thinking. what is the future that i want to see? she mentioned it can be anything 50 years from now. oh perfect. my retirement plan. haha. all i was thinking was reading, a beach and a picture. a bit odd but those were things that popped up in my mind at that time. so i just decided to draw along. why not.

everyone got into their positions with their utensils ready: a brush, buncho water colours, a pencil and a drawing paper. i distributed the papers around to check that everyone has a piece. i don't hope that by taking one myself, one poor kid will have none. luckily there is extra going around. yippie for me.

while drawing, there is this kid, "Onn", who told me he loves "seni" in school and he had been to melaka to visit the stadhuys building and singapore's universal studio. wah, kids nowadays are pretty lucky right. only 10 years old had the chance to visit singapore, he kept asking me what he was drawing. i have to keep guessing. he kept pushing until i get it right. i was relieved.

after finishing my drawing, i talked to him for a bit. for don't know what reason, he decided to take another paper and started a new paper. okay, maybe he has overflowing of creativity juice in his head. the purpose of this project is to let their creativity run free. i agreed. it did the job for me. for a moment there, i felt happy.

after finishing and all the cleaning up of my brush and polystyrene plate, i saw a kid holding my drawing. i asked him. yes, do you want to add colours to it, he nodded. okay la, since he was so keen, takkan i say tak boleh kan? there he goes. but after a while, my drawing was missing. that good huh? it's alright. i live for the moment, not for the picture. to me, the picture is just a window opportunity to see myself and to know what i want in the Future.

it has been a humbling experience to be able to learn from all this. one, you don't have to have a lot to be happy. two, you just have to make do with what you have. three, you can be kind to others, and others shall be kind to you.

a few photos to share to end the day. definitely a weekend to remember.

i was fortunate enough to grab a photo of my drawing before it went missing. =D

the kid who refined my painting. suspect no.1 for my missing drawing. it's ok. he can have it.

and the rest of them. the indian kid called me brother. i almost wanted to laugh of how informally he addressed me.

ps: my friend said she will organise one in the future. i gave her a doubtful look. she said, "don't look like you don't enjoy it. i know you did." she is reading me like a book. hope to be back in the future.