Reality - Helping

All the incidents below are infact real, but characters referred does not point any one in particular. It is combined characteristic of people I have heard, perceived, observed, met.

It is my parents and my school which introduced me to the HABIT called Helping. Yes, for some  helping is an act. But for few helping is an Habit. I was a volunteer in couple of clubs during my college days and was active observer of the happenings in and around me.

From then some of the incidents which I came across are still fresh in my mind:

1. (Mostly) A student or some one suffer from one of the below and is in need of financial support
a. Cancer (Blood, Lung, Breast,....)
b. Liver Disorder
c. Kidney Failure
d. Road Accident

e. rarely any other medical complications,....

2. Financial Support for a student to continue studies
etc....

We then as students at some instance helped by collecting money within college & friends and supported to an extent we can.In all these observations and participation, I understood that Helping is something Nice, Satisfactory,Fulfilling and Joyful. Be it in donating blood or volunteering in medical camps or awareness on social or Environmental issues or some financial support.

Even during my college days I wanted to start my own organization to support the society, with supports and prayers from many,  we started our own NGO to support education.If you give someone money or food today. He may need the same again tomorrow. We planned to  can give someone Education, which would last for Life.

After entering into a company like Bosch, I got a better chance to help people through the experience gained from College. Thanks to Nature Club, NSS and other forums. Volunteering in CSR. With the experience and observations made in the past 2.8 years, we still get the same kind of request for support, which I pointed out earlier.Lot of blood requests and financial support request.

I am not trying to say people are selfish and all sorts. I have seen lot of people who were readily available for donating blood, who were ready to be a scribe even at the cost of their work, ready to volunteer for a rally, ready to support financially or at least ask how is the person for whom we have sent a support request.  I always wanted to know the line of thinking of people who say "I am not in a position to help"  and slowly I could understand from observing those people

Many a times, a question comes to mind, How many of you have got the same !

What is Help ?

(we have a separate chapter in Thirukural to HELP us understand what HELP is !!! :P )

Help is something I feel cannot be measured, but an act done when it is in need,

Example : 1. Offering someone a glass of water since you feel he might be thirsty
                  2. Offering water when someone is THIRSTY

For me second act is more of a Help. Even in the first case, if you dont offer nothing is lost, whereas in second case the person has a impact

I feel the present generation have or made to have below line of thinking :

Thought 1. I can help only when I start to Earn
My Opinion : My Friend, helping is not just donating your hard earned money. It also covers sharing and using your Knowledge, technical, Co-curricular skills for spreading awareness and betterment of society.

Thought 2. How can I donate 50 Rupees, what others will think of me ?
My Opinion : Donating or the thought to help by itself is a wonderful gesture.  I just wanted to them to read this

காலத்தி னால்செய்த நன்றி சிறிதெனினும்
ஞாலத்தின் மாணப் பெரிது.

பயன் தூக்கார் செய்த உதவி நயன் தூக்கின்
நன்மை கடலிற் பெரிது.

Thought 3. I can / will start to help others when I Settle down

My Opinion : When we are in College, settling down might mean get placed in an MNC. After college, when we are working, Life runs like a machine, many people dont find time to know what is happening around them.  Keep working like a machine for promotion, appraisal, XX, YY, ZZ.... the list never ends. I feel one can never settle down, unless he/she satisfied from inner sense ! As a tamil saying goes "போதும் என்ற மனமே பொன் செய்யும் மருந்து"

There many be many others, but I feel these are important and many have one or all of these three line of thinking.

To be Continued !