How do we feel when we see beggars on roads? Do we feel sorry for them? Or, do we feel disgusted as they approach us? In both ways, we try to be selfish. Even if a person gives alms to a beggar, his thought process would revolve around the assumption that if he helps the poor god would help him in return. Hence proved that he is not helping the other person out of his own heart.
I try to compare myself with this aspect of human psychology. Am i the same? How do i feel on seeing the plight of these people? As i travel everyday to my office in the government bus, I come across a blind man begging near the bus stand. Everyday he gets into the same bus that i get into. I do give him money sometimes, but not always. This however does'nt mean that i am being rude. It simply means that i don't want him to have a complex that he is blind. But, somehow i have never got the guts to go and suggets to him that he can always work instead of begging. As a matter of fact, none of us have that guts to advice beggars because of the feeling that we cannot afford any further assistance to such people except for an easy advice.
As i reach my office gates i notice a handicapped man on the road lying simply in the scorching heat unable to do anything. what can i do to him? My heart aches as i see him everyday. I try to imagine myself in his situation, the resulting agony cannot be explained in words. Also, i see a llittle girl begging by pushing the wheel chair of an elderly women(perhaps her grandmother), crying for alms in the most saddest manner possible.
All of us come across such similar incidents in our day-to-day life. But, to what extent do we take these things to heart, matters more. suffering is the one which each one of us want to be free from. We have money and people around us to overthrow sufferings. But what and whom do these people have?
As i sit in the beach to spend time with my friends, I again see old people coming and pleading to me for money. In such cases, my mind imagines my own grand parents in the situation. My heart skips a beat. As I travel back home, the thoughts of miseries cover my entire body and the agony doubles its dimension. I am angry with myself for not being able to help people around me.
Some of you might feel that I am being over sensitive and emotional here. But i strongly believe that emotions form the base for human actions.
I, truly. badly, would like to help these people. But, how? when? where? To these questions i still haven't found any answer.
I try to compare myself with this aspect of human psychology. Am i the same? How do i feel on seeing the plight of these people? As i travel everyday to my office in the government bus, I come across a blind man begging near the bus stand. Everyday he gets into the same bus that i get into. I do give him money sometimes, but not always. This however does'nt mean that i am being rude. It simply means that i don't want him to have a complex that he is blind. But, somehow i have never got the guts to go and suggets to him that he can always work instead of begging. As a matter of fact, none of us have that guts to advice beggars because of the feeling that we cannot afford any further assistance to such people except for an easy advice.
As i reach my office gates i notice a handicapped man on the road lying simply in the scorching heat unable to do anything. what can i do to him? My heart aches as i see him everyday. I try to imagine myself in his situation, the resulting agony cannot be explained in words. Also, i see a llittle girl begging by pushing the wheel chair of an elderly women(perhaps her grandmother), crying for alms in the most saddest manner possible.
All of us come across such similar incidents in our day-to-day life. But, to what extent do we take these things to heart, matters more. suffering is the one which each one of us want to be free from. We have money and people around us to overthrow sufferings. But what and whom do these people have?
As i sit in the beach to spend time with my friends, I again see old people coming and pleading to me for money. In such cases, my mind imagines my own grand parents in the situation. My heart skips a beat. As I travel back home, the thoughts of miseries cover my entire body and the agony doubles its dimension. I am angry with myself for not being able to help people around me.
Some of you might feel that I am being over sensitive and emotional here. But i strongly believe that emotions form the base for human actions.
I, truly. badly, would like to help these people. But, how? when? where? To these questions i still haven't found any answer.
Comments
I think, for my part, I try to convince myself that they are people who have not found or grabbed the right opportunity to lift themselves from their daily misery, and that the only person they can blame for that is themselves. I tell myself this every single time I see a beggar; sometimes it works, and sometimes when I see someone extremely disabled, it doesn't. I'm sure it's true for at least half of them, though.
You can't do anything to help everyone around you. The fate of the world doesn't rest on your shoulders. All you can do is care about those immediately about you, and be sincere with them. And if you happen to make bundles of money, you could help someone who seems desperately in need.
But I think the best way to 'characterize' this dichotomy, is this:
I was walking to Landmark once, and I couldn't give a beggar anything because I only had my debit card with me. I couldn't make him believe that I had nothing to give him, and he started placing some Unforgivable Curse or whatever on me. :P
For instance, I would gladly help an old person who was ditched by his children (there are people like that) and they sell some items to make a living - hard working to get out of trouble
My bike mechanic works hard to get out of poverty - however, he's got a heart of gold and doesn't over-charge me for services. As a result, I give him Rs.10/- every now and then
Helping these people out is btter than someone on the road, avoiding work and askign for "oasi" money...
To me, the following qualities are required in a person to help him:
1. suffering (disease, disabled, or abandoned)
2. hardworking to get out of suffering
3. Honesty - shouldn't steal my purse when I take it out to give him
money
4. He should be able to render me some service - selling some items etc.
what do you say?
well thisis exactly how i feel too...i get reminded of ppl at home and i think will i ever leave my parents or granparents on the roads any day? in such a case, what shd i do? how do i react to such things? its so tough...there is a breakfast plc near my house and i go there in the morn. i c lot of kids beggging saying they are hungry. in that case do offer to buy them something. coz once when i paid them i saw the kid cooly buyign a cigarette and blowing it. i was shocked to c that. the kid must be some 9 yrs or 10 yrs old.
its absolutely nothing wrong in avoiding them. but offer to extend ur hand to reach out for help when its possible. be in touch with those self help grps. u can always call them n let them know abt beggars and am sure they may help them in someway or the other.
btw good post...made me think too!!
If I can do something to help, I do it. And if i feel I am not equal to the task, I simply dont bother.
I dont mean to say that a certain emotion does not rise in me when I see these people. I am still human and still affected by human distress.
Which i feel comes from one's fear of being in the same position himself/herself.
Most of the time wat we feel from wat we see is something totally different from wat we would feel from wat we experience.
Coming back to these beggars i would give them money if i had change aplenty and either i were in a very good and generous mood or if i were lost in thoughts and do not wish to come out of them (give money to get rid of disturbance).
Otherwise, i dont bother in the least. or atleast try not to as its not gonna be worth it in the end.
And frankly speaking, many people do the same not out of heartlessness but just as they could not bother less. So, i would say rather than think of wat arises in you when you see such people one needs to be practical and either do something if they can or just bother bout something else.