I was rudely awakened to the fact that there are indeed people with hearts made of stones.
Just the other day I sent an email in which the content was a slightly-modified version of this post, to my friends. To my utter disappointment, nobody responded to the email. None of them replied the email, none of them mentioned anything about the email, about Eden, about the handicapped.
And these people I call my friends, didn’t even bother writing back to tell me that they would either support Eden’s cause, or would help spread the news around or that they would keep the email at the back of their minds for further action when they are more financially-independent. But no, none of them said anything. Nothing.
And these are the people who would normally reply mass emails with pictures of recent vacations with their respective boyfriends, I don’t know, maybe just to show off, or with news of recent additions to the family, or with news of recent promotions and engagements. Or simply with news of the good things that are happening to them at that particular moment in time.
I don’t know. Are they too caught up with their own lives that they cannot find time to help other people? Or should I give them the benefit of the doubt that they have already pledge a certain amount to other charities? Am I being too pushy in trying to get people to be concerned with what I am concerned with?
ARGH.. Maybe it runs in my blood. I remember when I was younger and still in school, I never failed to chip in some money whenever the prefects went around to collect donations - either for victims of natural disasters or for the girl next door whose father had just passed away. And I always find it very natural to dig into my wallet for a note or two whenever somebody comes to me with a petition to either build a new temple or a church or a school building.
Which reminds me of an incident that happened in 1992 when I was in Standard 5 and my sister in Standard 1. Back then we had to wear a custom-made name-tag that bears our own name on our school pinafore. My sister’s class teacher told the new students to bring RM 1.70 for a new name-tag. So she brought that amount plus some extra money for food. Apparently, the school head-prefect went to each class with a Milo tin and collected donations for something I couldn’t recall now, and guess what my sister did..?
Hhahaha, yes, she dropped the money my Mum gave her for the name-tags into the Milo tin!
So when the class teacher requested for the money for their name-tags, guess what my sister did?
Muahahaha, she cried while she ran to my classroom and told me that the head-prefect took her money!! I thought she was “robbed” in school until the head-prefect came to my classroom.. Muahahaha.. I couldn’t stop laughing and at the same time felt bad for my sister, so I did what most good sisters would do - I went to her classroom and paid her class teacher the money for the name-tags.
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we were just talking about it - me & my friends. there are somethings that won’t change in people. Apathy is one. We just have to do what we can…
pelf: Yea, you are right.. Some things won’t change.. And it is sadder to realize that that those people whom I call “friends” share only the laughters..
if you go around collecting donations in a milo can, i’ll donate however much i can.
am actually thinking of going around the hostel collecting donations now (then pass the money to you to pass to them - wahahaha~) but my friends think i’ve gone crazy.
we’ll see how it goes.
pelf: You may try, of course, but I can tell the outcome even before you tried.. These people are way too predictable..
I know how you feel. Sometimes I feel as if the people I thought would care most won’t give a sh*t. But that’s life I guess, and if they’re as close as you think they are, go ahead and be pushy. The real friends might need some prodding, but they’re the ones who’ll come through.
pelf: Yes, I think they are as close as I think they are, but I would also think that “real friends need NO prodding”.. *sigh* I don’t know, they problem may lie inside me for all I know
Same here. When it comes to donation, wah hahaa… most of them will try to avoid or they will give u that kinda face…and said ” ah.. too free is it? nutthin to do ah? or ah.. u got money ho.. better belanja me makan or donate to me”. But thank god some of my friends especially from env course.. really nice and SINCERE. That’s y turtle fund raising and tsunami fund raising .. success. Nowadays.. ppl very selfish and sorry hav to admit.. fake. PELF, i support you! U doin a GREAt job!!
pelf: Exactly.. And the kind of excuses some people give ar.. *shakes head* Only st*pid people will buy them..
Pass the collection can over here.
pelf: It’s over here, my dear..
Giving is always hard for many people, but more often that not people get too caught up with themselves to make time to think of others. Yes, they might have also decided to give without telling you, but even if they don’t, that’s up to them. For that, you (and your sister) have a pure heart that not many people have…
pelf: Sometimes when I was desperate, I silently wished that these people will one day need help and then realize how bad it feels to not receiving any.. Yea, evil, I know.. I can’t help it..
I would like to share with you & your friends what I wrote…in an appeal to a Charity that I am committed to…
What you keep, you never use.
What you give away, you get back in time and again.
It’s the law of generosity.
Our temptation is to hold on to our possessions and money so tightly that our knuckles turn white.
Our common thoughts are “What’s mine is mine.” & “I worked for it, and I deserve to keep every penny.”
Those who practice generosity know that giving to others is the best way to receive.
We are blessed in order to bless others.
When you give generously, you build up a bank of good will.
Don’t be a miser with your “treasure”.
That’s the secret to true riches.
I appeal for everyone’s support to help raise funds for the EDEN HANDICAP SERVICE CENTRE.
Giving is Living.
pelf: *whoa* This is awesome..!!
Never assume you’ll never need some charity of your own …. that’s what my mum always told me.
pelf: I always feel very very bad whenever I see donation boxes filled with one and five sen coins
Hopefully, you’ll get your donations one way or other.
pelf: Yea, thanks
And please help us spread the news around, OK? 
Aww.. You’re definitely running off with the sister of the year award lol. Anyway, I’ve made a pledge (promised my ickle cousin Jessica a pledge sum of more than I’ve ever donated in me life) but haven’t put it down yet hehe. I’ve been lazy
pelf: Sister of the year award? Muahahaa..
And yea, you’d BETTER go there NOW..
this is so common dear. no point getting ur panties in a bunch. just someone start forwaring a photoshop pix of siti n dato’ k nakkid n see, wuah….i bet that for every email sent out is 50sen, u be millionaire in no time. but charity n society n faith related issues are normally shelved aside. cant understand either but that’s the way it is lar…
pelf: So so sad ;(
That’s very cruel. Everyday we’re surrounded by friends. But when problems come, how many of them would take the trouble to help? I don’t know why, but most of the people are way too selfish.
However, I hope you won’t be too pessimistic. Hopes are alive as long as you believe in them. There’tr still loads of kind people, it’s a matter of time that you meet them.
P/S I hope you don’t mind me just leaving a comment like this.
pelf: Hi Charlotte, no, I don’t mind you leaving “a comment like this” though I didn’t find anything wrong with it
Yea, it’s sad to realize that those people whom we call friends are actually “friends in times of happiness only” 