CATCH sat down with three young writers of ‘Timeless Treasures’ and uncovered the reason behind their passion to connect with the elderly, as well as the valuable lessons obtained from the experiences interacting with them.
Written by Jonell Ng | Photos courtesy of writers of ‘Timeless Treasures’
(From left to right) First row: Zenn Choong, Koo Wai Ying | Second row: Clarissa Goh, Irshad Rizwanah, Felicia Goh
“There is a lot more to give back to them for what they gave us… I would always want to pay them back, and give the elderly the respect they deserve,” said Felicia Goh, 22, one of the authors of ‘Timeless Treasures’. She had just finished her final semester in polytechnic and expressed the reason behind the focus on the elderly for a book published for her final year project.
She took charge of all illustrations in the publication, and together with four other team mates, they are warmly known as ‘Dear Grams’. Through their book, they hope to bridge the generational gap between Singapore’s pioneers and the younger generation.
Titled ‘Timeless Treasures’, the book is dedicated to telling heart-warming stories about the elderly in our community, honouring the older generation’s learning experiences for the younger generation to learn from.
“‘Dear Grams’ was inspired by American culture, whereby the young tend to call their grandparents ‘grands’,” said the book’s main editor, Clarissa Goh, who is 19 this year.
“This instantly brings out the sense of warmth and familiarity that should exist between the older and younger generation.”
The Inspiration Behind Timeless Treasures
In Singapore, there is a growing stigma on pioneers facing isolation, and they are perceived to be closed, frequently keeping to themselves. This mindset of the elderly typically exists among the younger generation.
“It was through volunteering experiences with the elderly that made me realise there are actually a lot of impactful stories from them. The lessons and values from their stories can also be applied into our own lives,” said Zenn Chong, a 19-year-old student who served as the team’s project leader.
This sparked the team’s journey to writing ‘Timeless Treasures’. They joined forces to piece together eight very different yet equally beautiful stories from the older generation, in hopes of having them serve as catalysts to promote meaningful, intergenerational conversations.
The book shares about the elderlies’ joys and pains, portraying the sheer amount of grit they have in facing hardships. From passion for relationships to adversities and infidelity, this book covers touching stories that share more about intertwined relations in this world.
“...so it is important to open a platform for us to understand why they think differently.”
Building Meaningful Relationships
Research from AgingCare, an association that specialises in providing valuable advice and information to caregivers of the elderly, has revealed that pioneers can benefit from sharing their stories - it can boost their self-esteem and reduce anxiety.
Zenn and Felicia added that when the younger generations listen to these elders’ stories, it allows them to “better understand issues from the seniors’ perspectives”.
“Perhaps there are some things said by our pioneers that our generation doesn’t really agree with, so it is important to open a platform for us to understand why they think differently,” said Clarissa.
As the interviewees continued sharing more about their experiences interacting with the elderly, it was evident that they held these relationships close to heart. To them, being able to interact with the elderly was a special opportunity, but what made it stand out were the connections that extended beyond just getting stories out of them.
The Valuable Friendships and Life Lessons
“My favourite connection made through this project is with an 81-year-old grandpa who shared about relationship banking. He taught us so much about open communication, mutual understanding, and cherishing meaningful relationships,” said Felicia, to which Zenn and Clarissa agreed.
“He mentored us for this book, giving us meaningful advice. This grandpa would also always try his best to meet up and have conversations with the younger generation.”
After putting in all the hard work, the team behind ‘Timeless Treasures’ successfully launched their book through a kick-starter programme in January this year. To date, its precious stories have reached people as far as in America.
This project has not only provided them with a platform to achieve their goals and connect the old and young, but also gave them irreplaceable experiences and takeaways.
Be it finding balance in life or learning to treasure relationships, it is important to realise the true meaning of having a supportive community, how no man is an island, and how it is crucial to listen and spend time with loved ones before it is too late.