(Photo by Ng Beng Chin)
An anime depicting a child’s growing up years was shown to the parents and children at the start of the class with a class mummy sentimentally narrating the process. The video chronicles a child’s birth up until he learns how to walk, with his parents carefully caring and nurturing him till he becomes an adolescent and eventually a grown up with a family of his own. Like many others, his parents gradually aged while he strives to live a life of his own.
“When our daddy and mummy grow old, they may not be like who they used to be. We should try to understand and be patient with them, just like how they have been patient with us when we were a little baby,” said the class mummy to the 109 children present. “For all the things that our parents had done for us when we were young, the least we could do is to take good care of them as they age.”
While watching the anime, Tong Li Wen started weeping and gradually leaned against her mother’s lap.
“Why are you crying, baby?” asked her mother tenderly. “I don’t want mummy and daddy to grow old,” said the little girl.
“You are a lovely girl, Li Wen. We have nothing to ask of you. We just hope you will be good to Daddy and Mummy when you grow up,” said Mdm Zheng Yu Lan tenderly while she consoled her daughter, her hand patting on Li Wen’s back gently, which stopped her from tearing further.
After that, the girl happily went on to feed her mother with the snacks prepared by the class daddies and mummies and also cleansed her mother’s feet thoroughly. The little conversation and body touch further bonded the mother and child closer.
“It is always good to start young and let our children know about the importance of showing filial piety to parents and to express gratitude for their love and care,” commented a pleasant Mdm Zheng.
With the meaningful ‘Parable of the Kneeling Lamb’ song playing at the background, all 82 parents sat in lines to enjoy the moment of being fed by their little one and have their feet cleansed by their beloved child.
Many parents and Tzu Chi volunteers were touched to tears by the heart-warming sight. After the cleansing session, several mothers were invited to share on their pregnancy and their child’s growing up.
Expressing gratitude towards our guardians
“I chose to bring Wei Wei into this world by natural birth even though he was supposed to be due only in a month’s time. I had to endure 24 hours of labour pain before he was finally born,” shared Lai Shun Sheng who hails from China. Both her sons, Zhuo Hong Wei and Zhuo Jia Wei had just taken their turn to feed her and cleanse her feet.
Although Mdm Lai appeared blissful as she watched her children cleanse her feet, her thoughts were back to the moment the year before when she went back to China to visit her mother.
During the trip, she discovered that her mother was unable to bend and wash her own feet due to the inflexibility that comes with old age and instantly took up the courage to get a pail of warm water to cleanse her mother’s feet. As she bent to wash her feet, she noticed that they were very dirty due to her prolonged inability to bend and wash on her own. The daughter’s heart was wrenched when she saw that both her mother’s feet were filled with calluses and foot corn. Only then did she realize that her mother had gone through great pains and effort bringing her up.
Emotions overwhelmed the daughter when she saw the happiness on her mother’s face while she was washing her feet. That was when she decided to go on her knees and kowtow to her mother to express her heartfelt gratitude for her years of nurturing.
She confessed that her attempt to wash her mother’s feet was thanks to the filial piety values inculcated in the Parent-Child Bonding Class she attended with her children. Tears started cascading down her face as she thought about her mother being all alone in China and her being unable to take care of her mother personally.
A mother’s enduring love
Tears started to gather in Zhang Xiu Li’s eyes at the start of the session and they started to fall uncontrollably as she caressed her son Lin Guan Ting’s face while watching him feeding her snacks.
Mdm Zhang recalled how much her family had pampered and spoilt Guan Ting, which encouraged his arrogance and rudeness. Being a working mother, she seldom had time to be at home with Guan Ting and was thus unable to do much in correcting his behaviour and this made her feel really helpless.
Some time last year, she happened to come across an article named ‘Di Zi Gui (Standards for Being a Good Student and Child)’ and decided to send her son to Tzu Chi’s Parent-Child Bonding Class with the hope that the educational lessons would correct her son’s mindset and temperament in the long run. This in turn also aided in closing the distance between them as she took time and effort in participating in the monthly sessions with him.
“Nowadays, Guan Ting is much more obedient, courteous and even took the initiative to help out with household chores at home.”
As the teary-eyed mother looked at her son affectionately, she also commented that the day’s event is a meaningful one that touches her heart deeply.
The greatest gift for Mother’s (Father’s) Day
Although 9-year-old Zeng Xiang Cheng did not feed his father with snacks and cleanse his father’s feet like all the other children on this special day, Zeng’s father was already very contented with his son’s filial thoughts.
Zeng Tian Chang, Xiang Cheng’s father, divulged that his wife had passed away due to sickness at the age of 33 last year, leaving behind Xiang Cheng and his 4-year-old sister. Father Zeng is now taking on both the role of a father and a mother, with a maid to take care of their daily meals and household chores. Xiang Cheng has always been the quieter one and an introvert and it is believed that the passing on of his mother had impacted him greatly.
“He used to hide under the table during our class here and refused to come out, but he is able to sit down together with his peers now and that is already a great improvement,” commented a gratified Father Zeng while dealing with his hyperactive daughter who was running about and asking for a hug. Although Xiang Cheng was playing along with his sister, he remained quiet throughout the entire time.
Father Zeng is aware that Xiang Cheng needs a better and more conducive environment for him to learn and grow and that any changes would not be immediate. With the Parent-Child Bonding Class acting like a big family, it is no doubt the best place for both Xiang Cheng and his younger sister to be cared for. Father Zeng is greatly comforted and contented at seeing how much Xiang Cheng has improved over the class period in Tzu Chi. This improvement in Xiang Cheng is already the best present that he could wish for as a Mother’s (Father’s) Day gift.
Looking at all the heartwarming scenes that were taking place around him, Brother Lim Ngeong Poh felt indebted to his parents and guilty that he had not been demonstrating much filial piety towards his parents. Brother Lim was born the youngest in the family and is a Malaysian national living in Singapore as a permanent resident. Hence, he seldom returns home or spends sufficient time with his parents, not to even mention taking care of them.
Brother Lim’s father had passed away from stomach cancer, while his mother is staying in Malaysia. During one of his trips home, he suggested that his mother ride a motorcycle to fetch him from the train station. He waited for quite a moment and his mother was still not in sight. Eventually, his mother turned up to fetch him accompanied by a neighbour.
“Looking at my mother, it dawned upon me how much she has aged over the years. But my memory of her seemed to be suspended at the time when she was still young and indomitable,” said a choking Brother Lim. Following that, the Tzu Chi volunteer advised everyone present – be it parents or children to ponder over what he had said, and shared a song named ‘Thank You’ with those present to thank all parents and living beings for everything in life.
“Thank you my dear parents, for providing me with a shelter that I could call my home;
Taking care of my daily needs and providing me with meals to ensure I grow up strong and healthy;
Thank you my dear teachers, for enriching me with wisdom and knowledge;
Guiding me through all obstacles and tests in life to ensure that I grow up wise and full of experiences;
Thank you my dear friends, for experiencing the different facets of life and exploring the world with me;
Thank you the little plants on this Earth, for adding colours to our world;
Thank you all the storms and rains that passed, for building up my courage;
Thank you the water that flows and the tall mountains that stand;
Thank you dear Heaven and Earth, for enabling us to live every day of our lives peacefully…”
Children holding on to plates of snacks and tea, kneeling in front of their parents and feeding them dutifully. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Lin Guan Ting cleanses his mother’s feet slowly and thoroughly, carefully carrying out every procedure and, understanding through his own hand, how much his mother had been going through in order to provide for him. (Photo by Chua Teong Seng)
Parents were all teary-eyed as they watched their beloved children carry out the filial act; and the hall was filled with warmth and happiness as all parents and children embraced each other. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
During the session where parents shared photos of their children when they were just born and details of how it was during the ten-months pregnancy period, the ambience was filled with sentiments as parents and children exchanged true affections for each other. (Photo by Ng Beng Chin)
Mdm Lai Shun Sheng (right) shared details of the ten-month pregnancy of her son – Zhuo Jia Wei, and during the period when she watched him grow. (Photo by Chua Teong Seng)
Brother Lim Ngeong Poh (centre) was overwhelmed with guilt towards his own parents as he watches the touching moments of the interaction between parents and children that day. Repenting on his thoughtlessness, he urged the parents and children to be good to their parents while they could. (Photo by Chua Teong Seng)
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