Beyond Ourselves
Everyday, when I look at the sights around me, I am amazed at how many different facets to humanity there are. The good, bad and ugly befuddle me sometimes.
I have worked with an NGO in the past and I know that the ugliness we see is just scratching the surface. There are unimaginable horrors that lurk beneath the seemingly unrippled surfaces. Horrors that you and me, having led the lives we have, cannot even begin to contemplate. Yet, knowing these things and knowing the importance of what called “social work” (for want of a better word), I have allowed myself to slip into a manner of existence that revolves around me. Me, Myself and I. Its not as if I’ve forgotten the things that I have seen, I’ve just pushed them to the back of my mind, thinking that there’s always time to reach out to the less fortunate; I need to get my affairs into place first. What I didn’t allow myself to realize was that NOW’s the time. Waiting for the “right time” is futile, as it will probably never come. There will always be another goal to achieve, after which there will be time and resources to help out.
It’s time for all of us to think beyond ourselves and realize that we are all but insignificant to mankind at large. And unless we do something to make our lives truly meaningful, that’s what we’ll still be when its time for us to move on to the next plane. I don’t mean that we are all meant to be Mother Teresas, but I do think that we can find it in our hearts to extend a little gesture, a little effort, a little money to make someone else’s life that much better. There’s no “right” way to do these things; one doesn’t have to do them the conventional way…as long as one does. Even an hour a week devoted to helping improve someone else’s life makes a difference. Every drop in the ocean does count.
And it makes us better human beings for being able to extend ourselves beyond just ourselves!
I have worked with an NGO in the past and I know that the ugliness we see is just scratching the surface. There are unimaginable horrors that lurk beneath the seemingly unrippled surfaces. Horrors that you and me, having led the lives we have, cannot even begin to contemplate. Yet, knowing these things and knowing the importance of what called “social work” (for want of a better word), I have allowed myself to slip into a manner of existence that revolves around me. Me, Myself and I. Its not as if I’ve forgotten the things that I have seen, I’ve just pushed them to the back of my mind, thinking that there’s always time to reach out to the less fortunate; I need to get my affairs into place first. What I didn’t allow myself to realize was that NOW’s the time. Waiting for the “right time” is futile, as it will probably never come. There will always be another goal to achieve, after which there will be time and resources to help out.
It’s time for all of us to think beyond ourselves and realize that we are all but insignificant to mankind at large. And unless we do something to make our lives truly meaningful, that’s what we’ll still be when its time for us to move on to the next plane. I don’t mean that we are all meant to be Mother Teresas, but I do think that we can find it in our hearts to extend a little gesture, a little effort, a little money to make someone else’s life that much better. There’s no “right” way to do these things; one doesn’t have to do them the conventional way…as long as one does. Even an hour a week devoted to helping improve someone else’s life makes a difference. Every drop in the ocean does count.
And it makes us better human beings for being able to extend ourselves beyond just ourselves!
posted by Mojo | 11:50 AM
2 Comments:
and yeah ..."beyond ourselves" is a lovely name for a post. I wish you wrote things more often:)
I'm glad you liked it...and yes, I think you are fairly conscious about thinking "beyond yourself". As for writing more often, I have some more thoughts brewing...watch this space! :)
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