Working in the Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien over the summer was an enthralling experience. I had to learn to adapt to a completely new lifestyle, which was quite a tiresome feat. I didn't know what to expect from this experience, and I knew I was going to be clueless as to my role in the hospital.

During the first two days, I made sure that the division I worked in required the least possible amount of contact with the patients. The reason I did this was because I never really had the experience of working in a hospital, and I was somewhat scared of dealing with people for fear that I would be in a situation where I was oblivious to "the right things to do." However, on my third day I was assigned to the section of the hospital where the elderly people were, and my job was to attend to the needs of one specific patient. After being assigned to an old lady resting in a bed, I simply sat down next to her, not knowing what to do and feeling extremely uncomfortable. After about ten minutes of me just sitting there, the old lady suddenly got up and told me she was thirsty. "Finally, something to do!" I thought happily, and I immediately poured some water into a glass for the old lady. After a couple of minutes, it seemed like she was cold, so I pulled a blanket over her. "Wow, I'm actually pretty good at this," I thought happily. Little did I know how horribly wrong I was and how far I was from being good.

I found out soon enough. Seconds later, a middle-aged volunteer worker came in to check on me. She asked me what I had done for the old lady so far, and I smugly reported my achievements. The volunteer worker said that I had done a good job, but she asked me whether or not I had talked to the old lady yet. I responded no, because I had already attended to all of her needs. The worker said to me, "We Tzu Chi people are not here to act as servants to the patients. Anyone can pour water for a patient or cover them up with a blanket. Even a robot, if programmed correctly, can perform these tasks. Tzu Chi volunteers are not robots. We come here to serve our patients by giving them compassion and showing them love. Those are tasks that robots cannot accomplish. Do you think the old lady will appreciate it more if you show compassion or if you perform robotic tasks?"

The speech was phenomenal, and the answer was simple. I had mindlessly completed chores for the old lady and yet I showed no signs that I cared for her, but I really was there to assist her in every way possible, and not simply there because I had to be. I sat there for a while thinking over this, as the worker left me to my thoughts. By the way she sort of smiled at me when she walked out the door, I could tell that she knew she had me. I was inspired. I jumped to my feet and sat down right next to the old lady again. But this time, instead of just sitting there, I began to chat with her. I began to show compassion. The worker was right, the old lady smiled for the first time as I began talking to her. The way her eyes sparkled as we chatted hardly reminded me of the same person ten minutes ago. I realized one single thing through that conversation, and that is that anyone, even a stranger can make a difference in another person's life purely by showing them they care. No matter how minute a friendly conversation with another person seems, it will still be appreciated by that person. When I talked to her, she was able to relate to me as a human who was filled with love and care. When I poured water for her, all I was to her was an abstraction that completed favors for her. I left with a smile on my face that day. I knew I had made a difference.

After that experience, I truly began to get a lot out of my visit to Hualien. Every time I was assigned to an activity, I tried my hardest to get into the activity and really show compassion to all those I was helping. I acted like a human as opposed to a robot. I laughed with children during the Dragon Boat Festival, I cried with a family when their loved one had died, I celebrated with a patient who learned how to walk again. I learned a new way of life, a way of life that should have been natural in the first place.