Postcard "LOVE" A6

In october 2023, while in Moscow applying for a Schengen visa, I left the Luxembourg Embassy and wandered toward a nearby park. As I turned into an alley, I passed an old man sitting quietly. I took a seat on the bench beside him. His clothes were worn but clean and neat. A large piece of cardboard beside him read, “Help for living.”

I pulled out my pen and paper and began sketching. He gazed at the passersby with lonely eyes, unnoticed by anyone. In that moment, he reminded me of my late grandfather, who would sit with a similar gaze, lost in thought, reflecting on the years that had slipped away and the life that had never truly been lived.

When I finished the drawing, I approached him and handed it over. His eyes filled with tears as he took it.

“Is this me?” he asked, smiling through his emotions.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Is this a keepsake for me?” His voice trembled.

“Yes,” I said, a bit louder this time.

And then he cried, saying, “Thank you!” In that moment, I understood what he felt—he felt seen and loved.

It was something he hadn’t experienced in years. At that instant, he sensed acceptance from me, free from judgment, past mistakes, or expectations.

He was loved — simply for existing, just for being himself. That's the power of connection, the warmth of human interaction. And our fund can offer this very same love and attention to the elderly. Imagine a world where they feel seen and noticed, cared for and loved.

That's the world we strive to build, where every elderly person, like the man in the Moscow park, can experience the simple joy of being acknowledged and cherished.