Contribution Name: Lions Befrienders
Pseudonym: Uncle Chua and Mdm Rubiah
Year of Author: 1955
An arts & craft programme at LB Active Ageing Centre (AAC) @ Clementi 420A is about to commence. Uncle Chua, 67, sits quietly and calmly at the table, unfazed by the flurry of activity taking place around him as fellow participants stream into the centre. Nearby, Mdm Rubiah, 68, is a picture of zest, moving from table to table chatting and laughing animatedly with other LB seniors. The contrast between the pair could not be starker. Yet now regular members of the same AAC, it is the latest chapter to their friendship that has lasted for almost half a century!
Uncle Chua and Mdm Rubiah first came to know each other during their tertiary schooling days dating back to 1978, where they studied engineering. They soon became good friends and have remained so from then on. When asked what kept their friendship going all these years while so many would have drifted apart, Mdm Rubiah explains that making an effort to keep in touch was key. “We would talk on the phone often. Even when he was overseas, we used the pager to communicate. Remember those things?” she says in jest.
It also helped that they were in the same field of work, with Uncle Chua being a tertiary college technician, and Mdm Rubiah plying her trade as a machinist. They would regularly seek each other’s advice on their respective expertise, and on their careers in general. And even after their retirement about 10 years ago, the two of them, both lifelong residents of Clementi, would meet up for weekend jogs around the area.
In 2021, Mdm Rubiah came to LB AAC @ Clementi 420A with her mother after the centre opened its membership to all seniors regardless of income or dwelling types. She had previously expressed her interest in becoming an LB senior, and once she became eligible under the new AAC model, she was invited by the centre’s staff to join, and she has been an active member since.
Bingo games, his favourite arts & craft, as well as outings to places of interest, proving that the AAC has a place even for “shy” seniors. “Staying at home is very boring,” Uncle Chua responds, when asked what he would tell other male seniors to persuade them to join him at the AAC.
Uncle Chua and Mdm Rubiah’s participation in LB AAC has added another layer of dimension to their decades-long friendship. Now with an expanded network of fellow LB seniors, every morning they would send out greetings to their chat group on their phones without fail. They are also there for each other through life’s ups and downs, with Uncle Chua accompanying Mdm Rubiah for her medical appointments, and Mdm Rubiah checking in on him every now and then.
A few months ago, Uncle Chua, who lived alone, had a hard fall and was confined to his bed injured. Not wanting to trouble others, he kept this to himself, until a worried Mdm Rubiah felt something amiss when he failed to turn up for an activity. Visiting his home, she found Uncle Chua in a bad state and quickly rendered assistance. “She’s a very kind and helpful person. She always looks out for me,” he says.
Theirs is indeed an admirable friendship that has stood the test of time, and we wish them only the best as they continue to find joy in our programmes at LB AAC @ Clementi 420A together with fellow seniors! We hope that these stories would inspire you to reach out and touch the lives of others.
在位于金文泰 420A 的LB 乐龄活动中心（AAC），一项手工艺课程即将开始。67 岁的蔡叔叔静静地坐在桌旁，神情平静，对于周围发生的各种活动丝毫不为所动。其他参与者陆续进入中心，旁边的68 岁的鲁比亚女士则充满活力，走动于各个桌子之间，与其他 LB 长者热情地交谈和笑声不断。两者之间的对比再明显不过了。然而，作为同一乐龄活动中心的常客，这对朋友的友谊已经持续了近半个世纪！
蔡叔叔和鲁比亚女士最初在 1978 年上大学时相识，他们当时都在学习工程学。很快，他们成了好朋友，并从那时起一直保持着友谊。对于这么多年间他们的友谊如何维持下来，而许多人却渐渐疏远，鲁比亚女士解释说，保持联系是关键。“我们经常会通电话。即使他在海外，我们也用传呼机沟通。还记得那些东西吗？”她开玩笑地说道。
他们从事同一领域的工作也起到了很大作用。蔡叔叔是一名大专技术员，而鲁比亚女士则是一名技工。他们经常就各自的专业问题和职业发展相互寻求意见。即使在大约十年前退休后，他们两人，作为金文泰的终身居民，仍然会在周末在附近一起慢跑。
2021 年，鲁比亚女士在中心向所有年长者开放会员资格后，与她的母亲一起加入了位于金文泰 420A 的 LB 乐龄活动中心（AAC）。她曾经表达过对成为 LB 长者的兴趣，一旦符合新的 AAC 模式的资格，她就受到了中心工作人员的邀请，成为了活跃会员。
“待在家里太无聊了。”当被问及他会告诉其他男性长者什么来劝说他们加入乐龄活动中心时，蔡叔叔如此回答。蔡叔叔和鲁比亚女士对 LB AAC 的参与为他们长达数十年的友谊增添了新的维度。如今，他们每天早晨都会通过手机在群聊中互相问候，互相支持，陪伴彼此度过生活中的风风雨雨。蔡叔叔还会陪同鲁比亚女士参加她的医疗预约，鲁比亚女士也时常关心他。
几个月前，独自生活的蔡叔叔不慎摔倒，因伤卧床。他不想麻烦别人，于是保持沉默，直到鲁比亚女士感到异常，因为他没有出席某次活动。探望他家时，她发现蔡叔叔状况不佳，并立即提供帮助。“她是一个非常善良且乐于助人的人，总是关心我。”他说道。
他们的友谊确实经受住了时间的考验，衷心祝愿他们继续在 LB 乐龄活动中心 @ 金文泰 420A 以及其他 LB 长者们一起找到快乐！
希望这些故事能激励你去接触和影响他人的生活。
This story is reposted from Lions Befrienders website – Lions Befrienders Website
This heartwarming narrative comes from Lions Befrienders, an organisation dedicated to journey alongside seniors. To learn more about their services, visit Lions Befrienders Services.
This work includes translation generated by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.
此作品包含由OpenAI开发的AI语言模型ChatGPT生成的翻译内容。