Saturday, August 13, 2005

UNGRATEFUL

"Swami Dayanand Saraswati while in a journey offered a fruit to a child who was travelling along with his mother. Even though only after approval from his mother child accepted the fruit yet his mother slapped him. Swamiji in shocked state asked the woman the reason for such behaviour. She replied to him that she had slapped him not becoz of accepting a thing from stranger but becoz of child not saying thankyou in return."

It was only few months ago that i heard this story from my frnds's brother but my belief in being thankful for slightest of gestures matched with the mother in story. My thoughts on the issue originated due to the shocking response i got on vacating a seat for an elderly woman travelling with her son of my age.

i believe that it is the usage of words like thankyou along with such true feelings that plays an important role in shaping the future of society. except few ppl all need recognition, reciprocation in one form or the other for the help they provide. timely gestures in return provide energy to keep them going on other occasions as well. this feeling then circulates. this tendency to help others keeps on penetrating the society which in long run makes it stand apart from rest...

on the other hand if we forget to be thankful to anybody it makes the other one to feel that his efforts were not needed, that they have spent their energy without use. it prevents him from doing same on other occasions as well. others observing such ungrateful behaviour of few also feels demotivated for helping others for they fear same consequences. this scenario in long run proves disastrous for any society... as time passes by the situation gets worse.it makes ppl feel divided and act selfishly. they forget wht others did for their peaceful existence since this wht they have been witnessing all their life...thanklessness...

at times when my thinking goes towards selfishness seeing the state of ppl around me( especially elder section of society) i feel amazed at the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters. i wonder wht made them go for it? i feel it was their beleif in their ppl as well as newer generations... that their sacrifices r needed as well as wud be reciprocated... but sometimes i am confused whether they judged the society correctly or society was different those times or society is same and it is me who is at fault in finding faults in others...
whtever be the truth i try to keep helping others and my strength is the the fact that at many times i had received help even without asking for it. no of times ppl helped me is still greater than the times i helped others. still no of men who vacated seat for my mother and aunts is greater than no of women for whom i vacated...
and even if it happens that i dont get help anymore i wud still be going same path since i owe too much to those who made it possible for me to be born in a free country...our freedom fighters... and more than for myself i am grateful to them for the life they made possible for my family, frnds, and all my countrymen...
i want to live upto their dreams...
and i fear many times what if it doesnt happens...

14 comments:

BB said...

"i want to live upto their dreams..." ofcourse we should...may be we should dream as well...so for the futire generations to follow and may be live a much better life than they would without us!

Twilight Fairy said...

true.. all ppl need is a little bit of love and affection.. and I guess it does make wonders if one gives that..

Vivhyd said...

Many a times.. words such as thank you and sorry have become some sort of just becos u have to say words... all seems artificial.. no more frm the heart... anymore

Akruti said...

A few small gestures sure makes a lot of diff to our attitudes,saying thankyou for simple gestures is a wonderful way showing our gratitude.
Thats a wonderful dream to live up to their dreams,Try and u will win for sure:)

Prakash said...

Hi
I am a firm believer that those things like thanks, sorry, miss u love u....etc needs to come from the heart rather than from ur head...these days those are programmed in ppl mind.......
good one. Keep it coming
Prakash

Soumya said...

barath: absolutely right!

Twilight Fairy; :-)

vivhyd: no dear, i do thank ppl and say sorry from heart

akruti: i was sure a few yrs ago but now...
thanks...

prakash: but still at times few ppl miss it...

anonymous: :-/

Vivhyd said...

soumya.. I didnt mean u.. I meant ppl in general.. so don't get me wrong here..

Tarun said...

soumya...true very true but I feel we Indians are little shy on showing such gesture....

claytonia vices said...

I think tarun is right. I find myself the only one saying 'thankyou' when the person at the grocery store counter packs up my grocery items for me and sometime I find it embarassing as if I was the only one trying to act 'smart' or something. But I do not stop as I actually feel thankful, for it is those little gestures that make life a little more pleasant...

Soumya said...

vivhyd: no prob dear... feel free to commet always...

tarun & claytonia vices: right, being shy for such things creates problem... we shud reciprocate otherwise such acts stop coming in long run...

Soumya said...

chennai pages: :-)

anand: two planes r conected... feeling grateful for martyrs raise the level of civilisation... it starts with samll things and end up bringing society together...

Nandish said...

good words cost nothing... had a chapter in english in school abt the same concept as in this article. But i think one shudnt expect anything in return for whatver good he does..

Ankur said...

saying thank you and sorry does not make u small, ut just might make the day of other people or make him feel good:-)

Anonymous said...

That's a great story. Waiting for more. » » »