The first soothing sounds of life, in the ears of an infant, comes from the voice of a mother: it is the sweet melody of a lullaby. The musical notes of assurance, comfort and safety. They are melodies of life and love. These are the sounds that we listen to from the deep recesses of our hearts.
In the weary walls of hospitals, old people are tenants in rooms filled with hours of lonely reflections, of a life that is slowly drifting away. Time fleets in sleep, or drags with the daily routine of doctors and nurses making rounds with hearts of compassion and effort to keep each breath as valuable as the seconds in a day's schedule.
Then, like a bursting sunlight from a sun catcher , the laden load is lifted from the dreary corridors in these places. The vibrant energies from volunteers are felt from their gentle gestures to their cheerful conversation.
The Montreal General Hospital Geriatric Floor every Wednesday morning, mimics the busy hallways in a theater, a concert hall, and a stage , as patients are in tow in wheelchairs, walkers and in measured steps all eager to grab a spot in the recreation room. The vibrant energy of two volunteers, who met each other in that place eleven years ago with the common sentiment, awaits them, to bring joy and happiness in their lives.
Ronaldo Soriano Trono, belts out songs from Broadway hits, old time favorites of the 40's 50's 60's, classical mainstays and Barbara Baker plays the piano. He turns on the energy of life from the hearts of those who make the effort to be there and share in the joy and happiness they generously give them. He sings and dances around extending his hands to those who reach out to feel him. Occasionally, some of them sing along with him and at times they attempt to stand and execute a step or two feeling great that the wobbling knees cooperated for a moment.
Ronaldo Soriano Trono is the National Director for Miss Earth Canada, an artist, producer and director for documentary. He lived in East Africa where he founded an organization “ Friends of Street Children “ in Kampalawhere he raised funds and taught them how to read English and math as well as assemble bicycles. He was also a volunteer at the St. Georges Tyndale Burgundy after school programs. He is one of the recipients of the Outstanding Filipino Canadians 2003 in Toronto.
He believes that eleven years of caring and entertaining patients in the Geriatric floor every Wednesday is a constant reminder for him on how brief life is and that we will all go towards that direction in time. It allows him, to give joy and happiness for an hour from his time and which translates to many hours of happy memories or feelings for others.
Barbara Baker who is in her mid seventies, has been playing the piano as a volunteer and she feels a great sense of service by being there for others.
For the patients in that floor, they all shared beautiful moments with the bearers of melodies, who gave them music that soothed, relaxed, comforted and brought back old reveries that stirred their hearts for that time. Some came back, others were gone, and many more came in to fill the rooms in the 16th floor.
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