Being Human...

Humanity doesn't come easily to human beings..

We are born animal humans and we die animal humans. A very small margin of people therein, became human beings during their lifetime and an even smaller portion progresses further to become divine human beings.

Not going to the little understood aspects of divinity and divinity in humans, let me limit my thoughts on human-ness in the world around (or, should I say, the lack of it? )

Human-ness begins with 'humane'-ness....            

Kindness and generosity have been forever linked with people who showed it in a rather incredibly large amount... The Florence Nightingales and the Mother Teressas of the material world! Kindness embellished with eyes,ears,nose,hand and feet... Considerate to the 'e'..... And, not to mention, extremely rare to come across. But, humaneness, need not (and does not) mean being like them (There is a word called 'reasonable' and 'moderate' in the dictionary for some reason, you know! ) 

Humaneness is about helping a fellow human in need, without any thoughts of personal gains or benefits. How many times has a teacher chipped in extra hours without demands for extra pay or perks? How many times has a senior professional done something good for a junior, without him asking for it? Something as simple as, " Hey! You have worked a lot today, let me buy you a coke on our way back! " In fact, there is no need to go any further from home... Have you ever sit by your greying mother and just listened to her... really listened to her? It may just be a " Bhindi Rs.12 a kilo" story ala '3 idiots' or a long list of ills she is suffering from... backache, sprain, blisters.... or an occasional jabbering on how mean the lady living next door is.. how late in the night your little brother watches television... how little your dad helps her out with the house chores... But, have you made an effort to simply listen?

I do not need you to answer these things for me or post them as a comment to me. Just answer them for yourself. You'll know where you stand... in your eyes, at least. And that is all that matters.

Humanity can backfire.....

You being nice doesn't make it a rule for others to be nice to everyone, in general or you, in particular. Face it, the world is full of silly old losers. Their sheer number and variety is staggering. But, a few common labels are "i-am-too-good-for-anybody-here", "i-do-whatever-my-heart-says-and-others-don't-matter" , et al. I wish there was a provision to stick a label like this, somewhere on them, so we could know them before they could even begin to hurt or trouble us. But, unfortunately, it is not possible! You are bound to lose a quantum of your time, a piece of your heart or a few streams of tears over them. That, cannot be changed. However, goodness of the heart is not something you should control or administer in carefully segregated doses to cautiously hand-picked people. It is who you are! 

There is this story of the boy who was found helping a scorpion cross a stream.. the scorpion kept stinging the boy, as he was trying to place it on the other side of the stream. The boy had only good intentions in his heart, that the poor scorpion should not get washed off by the stream and should make it to the other side, safely.... But, it wasn't in the nature of the scorpion to understand. Scorpions know just one thing, and they know it very well -to sting...And that was precisely what the said scorpion was doing... Every time it dug into the boy's finger, he winced and dropped the creature down with an agonizing yelp. But, the very next moment, he would reach out again... still wanting to help. A passer-by observed this never ending cycle and came up to the boy and asked- "Why don't you give up?". The boy smiled and replied- " Stinging is the scorpion's old habit. He doesn't forget it ever.... Helping is my habit and I don't plan to forget it, either..."

He/She may be just another scorpion. But, you be the little,sweet boy you are. Simple!

Do something good everyday...

You may not be feeding on a 'Bourneville' everyday, but everytime you sit to enjoy your meals, ask yourself, if you have truly 'earned it'...

                                      

                                          As John Weasly has rightly said-

                                            Do all the good you can,

                                      By all the means you can,

                                            In all the ways you can,

                                     In all the places you can,

                                            At all the times you can,

                                     To all the people you can,

                                           As long as ever you can."

AMEN!