There is only much you can do for others. You see many things happening around you. You feel sympathy and sadness for those who need help, yet there are limitations to your helping hand. Are there ways to work around those limits?
You might have come across people in their late sixties or seventies who do physical labour to make ends meet – an age where you want to rest and live on the fruits of your life’s hard work, instead, you are relentlessly working hard. You see them, and you can’t help but feel sorry for them. They look old and weak, yet carry loads of weight and do physical work in the hot sun. You can’t help but wonder, why? Was their fate so unfortunate that their lives were meant to be lived this way? Did they really not get a break, ever?
Or, was it a result of their frivolous living with poor planning in their former years?
It’s probably pointless to ponder over how and why it led to wherever they are. But, is there anything we can do to help them?
Helping those in need is something we’ve been taught since our kiddo years. Be generous, be kind, and be helpful. It’s like a textbook quote, but how much of it can anyone follow? Don’t we all have our limits? Say you want to help someone financially, wouldn’t you have your financial constraints that’ll determine how much you can assist. When you feel empathy for an old person physically toiling in their job, would you be able to free them from their jobs? Although you want to, you can’t physically help them. Such are the limitations, and such is life.
Each of us have different fates. I believe that there is a loose predetermined fate set for all. You can change it, though not entirely. You may associate with a lot of unfortunate lives and the least we can do is to treat them with respect. We largely live in a society where money and power determines the respect you deserve. The unfortunate ones are often looked down upon. I am not saying that respect will solve their problems, but it will make it easier for them to push ahead. The little things will matter. For example, If you employ these people for your work, make sure you provide facilities to assist them. It could be in terms of food, water, sanitation, etc. Make sure you provide a workable environment. These are small things that make a difference to them.
Next time you see someone working at an old age, it means that they have the dignity and willpower to work hard and earn a living even at that age. Respect them and let’s help in whatever way we can.
‘If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
