I was visiting Meelah, a resident who has led food drives and many social activities to enhance the wellbeing of her neighbours. I listened intently, as she expressed her concern for families that would require assistance. I was touched that she continued to keep track of so many lives in spite of her own declining health.
She donned on the new spectacles she had recently afforded and checked her reflection using her phone before looking at me expectantly for a response.
“How? I look like a teacher or not?” She exclaimed while tucking some strands of hair behind her ears.
We shared a laugh.
Her diabetes had begun to affect her vision, and it was the first time I noticed the grey roots of her frizzy hair. I also noticed that she had soft velvet shoes to prevent abrasions on her feet as wounds for a diabetic would be difficult to heal.
A comfortable silence settled between us as we sat outside her makeshift porch at the back of her ground-floor flat. The blue tarp overhead was a defining feature of her home, stretching from her back gate to the trees to shield us from the possibility of litter from above. A utilitarian wooden table and some blue PVC chairs furnished this makeshift meeting spot—a haven for those seeking solace in her friendship.
Then in a lively voice, Meelah told me that she would like to take up a cleaning job that she spotted on online and asked if I could tell her husband that she was working at our centre. She elaborated that her husband would never agree to her taking on a job that required her to commute. He feared that if she fell ill, at work or while commuting, she would have no support.
When I told her gently that I could not do this, she looked wistfully at her hands and a look of sadness I’ve never seen before came over her. In all the time that I have known her, she’s always shown herself invincibly strong and upbeat. I felt sad too.
Work is not just a means to earn an income to eat but a means for purpose, participation, cooperative relationships, autonomy and self-esteem. Needs that all of us must have for a fulfilling life. Hence, ensuring that Meelah has enough to eat is just one aspect of supporting her wellbeing. I look forward to spending time together with her to discover how she may still find much fulfilment in life.
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