By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

The homework assignment for Greg Constantino's English class was to put in four hours of volunteer work in the community and then write a paper about the experience.

Greg, a 16-year-old junior at Roosevelt High School, chose to spend his four hours at a nursing home close to where he lives. He had never done anything like that before, and at first, he was overwhelmed by what he saw.

"I have to admit that I was very discouraged from first sight," Greg wrote in his essay.

"The residents were all very old and utterly helpless, even needing someone else's help just to move a few inches. ... Hardly anyone came to visit them at all, and when someone did they would stay for only a few minutes. I was heartbroken to hear that they all did not have much time left, yet they did practically nothing and led meaningless days in the retirement home. They must have been bored out of their minds, and they couldn't do a single thing about it. It made me wonder what my future would be like, if I'd end up like them, or if I'd ever make it that far down the road."

Harsh words, perhaps, but that's what he saw and that's what he wrote.

Greg spent his time playing cards with some of the residents, calling a game of bingo and helping to serve a meal. As he worked, the staff of the nursing home told him stories about the residents. They told Greg about the kind of things the old folks had done in their younger days. Before long, Greg says he started to see each resident in a whole new light. He was able to look past the age and illness and see each resident as "this amazing person."

"... certain things I never saw at first glance became surprisingly apparent to me," Greg wrote. "I spoke to them in heart-to-heart conversations and learned so much from each of them. They were so full of wisdom, so kind and moral, and they had led amazing lives. Their experiences have made them sage, though time has made them brittle."

A conversation with one woman in particular really touched his heart.

"She was a very old woman, well into her age, but she seemed to feel and act so lively. It was hard to believe someone who looked so fragile could act so childishly happy. Every time a performer came to sing for them, she would be found in front dancing in her wheelchair with the most blissful smile on her face. I swear, every time she smiled like that, she grew a year younger.

"One day, as I was doing my rounds and checking on all the residents, she called me over and asked me to sit with her. She said that she admired my willingness to volunteer and said, 'You a good boy, you always be good, and Jesus take care of you. You be good like angel you are, boy.' She laughed, with her smile of youth, and kissed my forehead. She never had any visitors, and she was one of the only residents there that never took out a stash of family photos. In fact, she never took out any photos. All she did was smile; I pray, if I am lucky enough to grow to her age, I could be as content with so little. It seems she had much more to smile about than I first thought. Most of all, I hope that when I reach that lofty age, I'll have an angel of my own to make my days brimming with hope, life and love ..."

Greg put in his four hours of volunteer work in early December and turned in his paper for English class. He decided to keep spending his Saturday mornings at the nursing home (after going to fire knife dancing class). He's also thinking of bringing his guitar to play for the residents. Maybe even share his fire knife dance.

"I'm just going to keep going," he says. "I really don't see an end in sight."

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8172.