Earlier this year, during one of my volunteering activities for the Hong Bao run, I got to know this girl. She was in the same station as me, doing sai kang and stuff, prepping for volunteer registration and inventory at the volunteer tent. Everything was hectic but after all the in-processing was done, we are good to take a break until the next timing, about 4 hours later..
Being bored, we started to talk to each other. She was just a 17, or maybe late 16 (her birthday being this year), she was dressed like a typical secondary school kid, mama's girl style until I found out about her background - she is in RJ OMG. *bows* did not expect to be doing such stuff alongside an intellect (at least academically)!
So we went on to chat more with each other, getting to know her better. What surprises me is that she is pursuing medicine.. and guess what for her age it is remarkable that her reasons to want to study medicine took me by surprise.
"So what subjects you take?"
"Maths, Bio, Chem, maybe Econs."
"Oh, you wanna take what in uni?"
"Medicine."
"Cos of your parents' expectations?"
"No. I wanted it myself."
"Ok.. why? better prospect?"
"Because I want to be able to volunteer to travel around the world and help needy people."
That shook me. While she was stating this reason she also asserted why she wanted to volunteer for events - she likes volunteering. She likes giving back to the society.
Who at the age of 16 will think so far ahead? Definitely not within my circle of friends, or at least only that rare few.. But on the other hand I somehow don't know whether to feel happy for her or reserved. Maybe I was thinking too much, that she was just innocent and too young to understand the woes of adult life. That she might lose her time and passion for her dream some day as she grows up. But at the same time I did not want to shoot down her thoughts like this - I understand the feel of having oneself's dreams shot down, condemned, and losing self just because your loved ones are against your resolve.
I gave her an encouraging smile, "Good, work hard for it!" After all, she deserves my acknowledgement of her dream. Consider it the first time I felt that innocent passion driving me to recover whatever dreams I had lost.
A 16 year old girl. Inspired me. Well done girl, and thank you.
Signing off.