Media drives are usually held to allow motoring journalists to experience the latest cars while having a good time with each other.

But Honda Cars Philippines invited us to something different.

We visited the lolas of the Mary Mother of Mercy Home For the Elderly and Abandoned Foundation in San Pedro, Laguna.

When we arrived at the venue, they were about to participate in the “Art to Heart with Lola” activity before lunch. This was more of art therapy rather than art class—to provide a creative outlet for the wellness of these elderly ladies.

While they were splattering paint on canvases, I noticed something. Most were wheelchair-bound, and one was bedridden after surviving a stroke. Some could still talk, but even fewer were capable of holding a conversation.

There was nothing glamorous about the activity, but everyone had fun. As for me, I was reminded of a valuable lesson that even the most decorated academic institutions fail to teach.

Life is short. Even the things we take for granted such as our physical mobility and our intellectual sharpness are transient, too. That’s why the best way we can share our love with others is through the time we spend with them.

My heart sank a bit when I first heard the name of the organization. Growing old is natural. However, to be abandoned is a tragedy.

Some of us have aging parents, and we might think the best way to give back to them is by providing a house or a car. That would be nice, but at the end of the day, all they would appreciate most is our presence in their lives.

These women had gone through much in life, and now have no family or relatives to take care of them. While most would be happy to receive something like a Civic Type R demo unit from Honda, HCPI’s simple gesture of visiting them must have meant the world to them.