.... of help, helping and being helped

Yours Sincerely ( Y s ) discovers that it is very hard to offer help to others these days. People are self-sufficient. They do not want to be indebted. They rather exercise their self-sufficiency than to accept help and remain indebted so they think.

Y S used to ask a friend to fetch him to the airport in wee hours of the morning since we are living in a BEC and that is a Basic Ecclesiastical ( Godly, in spiritual communion, brotherly ) Community and since so much have been preached about mutual help and co-operation among fellow Catholics in a common locality. Y S could have called a taxi but then that is denying a brother-in-Christ to exercise his ecclesiastical deed or duty to help another member of the BEC. Y S asked for help with the hope that the same could be returned to him when he is in need. However, Y S found out that the brother-in-Christ called a taxi to get to the airport when he could easily called Y S. So, do you dare to ask for his help again ?

In the circle of the middle class society, self sufficiency is what people aim for. Gone are the days when you borrow an onion, some sugar or an egg from your neighbour. People rather drive all the way to the grocery kilometres away just to get those menial things. Or rather people buy in dozens and scores to store up and many a time groceries are stored until they are rotten and discarded.

"HELP" is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. " says Ralp Waldo Emerson. Allowing ourselves to be helped if so necessary is also a virtue that has to be learnt. How many have suffered in silence, thinking that they are virtuously bearing the so-called "crosses" of life. A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up, and also to reach up and accept help. As it is said that when you help someone up a mountain, you will find yourself close to the summit too.

Think.