Giving Back On Thanksgiving
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| Jessie Ong, 69yrs |
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| Jessie Ong, 52yrs |
As she drove me to my meeting we got talking and she
cheerfully spoke about herself. Jessie is a 69 year old widow who has 3
children (two daughters and one son) and has 3 grandchildren. She lost her
English husband and took to being the ‘Chief Householder’. Two of her kids are
now married and settled with one daughter living with her. Like every ageing
woman Jessie was saying that she also kept worrying about who will take care of
her and what will happen to her in the future, etc. I could empathize with
everything she said as my Mother, now in her 60s as well, is in this same boat.
She said this worry used to eat her up and one fine day at the ripe age of 52
she decided to take up a full-time job as a taxi driver to rid herself of her
worry. Her job kept her busy and she did not have time to think about all the
other things that used to plague her mind. With everything she said, I could
hear my Master’s teachings come back to me.
After 10 + years of driving, Jessie now does part-time
driving. She no longer does this because she does not have money but so that
she can keep herself active and feel like she’s doing something with her life.
She drives 3 hours every morning and the rest of her time is spent volunteering
at an old age home. When I told her about my Mother, she said that elderly people
only need someone to talk to them and show them love. She then proudly declared
that her daughter is married to an Indian and she even pronounced her Son in
Law’s name perfectly and complimented me at being multi-cultured.
Jessie has a real spark and is so full of life that it is
almost impossible to tell that she is almost in her seventies. Jessie is the
first woman driver who I have met of her age. She shied away from letting me
take her picture as she said she is not good looking. I find that some of the
most beautiful people in the world have this to say about themselves so I told
her she is most beautiful woman I have met as beauty is not what we see outside
but what shines from within. Reluctantly she posed for me and exchanged her
number with me.
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| Jessie Ong 69yrs |
Jessie is not educated but yet
is so knowledgeable. She asked me what my profession is and I explained that I
work in Sales. She then asked me what I sell. “I sell technology”, I said. “Explain”,
she said. I then put in the simplest way possible that I sell technology for
people her age who unlike her cannot go to the hospitals or clinics. I
explained how Industry and Technology companies like us are inventing easier
ways to do their health monitoring and share the reports to the doctor without
people physically having to go. If there is anything unusual going on in their
bodies the symptoms will be picked up by the device and report to the hospitals before anything can happen.
She got so excited
with what I had to say that she told me she was proud of what I did and that I
should continue to do these kind of things. As I reached my destination we bid
adieu and promised to connect back soon. Jessie left me speechless today and
made me very Thankful for my life, for the things I have and for people like
her in this world - a real Thanksgiving. Today I learnt of someone who has
Risen Out and broken the glass ceiling in her own way - An Empowered Woman who
is dedicating her life to the service of people.
Jesus used to say that we
should give to those who cannot repay us back. Today let us remember this and
give thanks for what we have received and share it with other generously.
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