As the summer break was almost over, my mentor Betty and I decided to go for another lunch gathering. We have been having regular lunch gatherings every two months when we could share and exclaim about one another’s encounters in the past couple weeks. In our last meeting, both of us were eager to update to each other about our workplace experience, lifestyle changes and new discoveries in our everyday lives. Volunteering at a counselling center for psychotropic substance abusers, I told Betty that I was busy organising a graduation ceremony for a rehabilitation programme. Betty also informed me about the new changes in her workplace setting and the adaptations that she had to make.
Betty has always been a patient listener as I filled her in with every detail of my service experience. Not only did she show support and appreciation for my dedication to social service, she also provided me some insightful perspectives in understanding my service targets. Such insights stemmed from her decades of experience in conducting trials involving drug users. For example, she explained to me how the illegal behavioural patterns of drug abusers could possibly be attributed to their previous experience or upbringing. Without hearing from her, I would have been limited in my interpretation of scenarios and couldn’t have got the most out of my service experience.
Always generous in giving advice, Betty gives not the impression of a strict teacher but an open-minded senior who has been constantly offering support. I am always grateful to chat with Betty as she has not only been my respectful mentor, but also an inspiring friend of mine.
