Why Do We Become So Selfish?
Today I am compelled to share a heart touching
incident with the whole world which I learned a few days back. Two children (real brother and
sister) used to read in school with the aid of an organization. Their father was a drunkard
and mother used to do petty household jobs. There were other 2-3 brothers
and sisters. Elder sisters had been married in tender ages. Elder brother
too used to do the menial job in his tender ages. This girl was a very
week child and used to live in dirty and torn clothes. The same position was that of the boy as well. One day, the persons of
this organization saw these kids on the hungry and thirsty state in the
boiling road in scorching heat in May 2011. They were in bare
feet. Only God knew, how they used to walk with bare feet. That
person of this organization went to their parents and requested to
get these kids to join Ek Koshish. Initially, the father was not
ready, though the mother was ready. Father raised questions like who would pay
for, what would be the benefit of all such a ‘drama’, our forefathers were illiterate
and lived a life like ours and we too would do the same, etc. Anyhow, he was
convinced that if they become educated, they would change their lifestyle and
thinking and the entire family would be able to live with dignity and pride. Anyhow he started sending these two kids to this organization. They required
thorough one to one personal attention as they were totally backward, lacking
confidence and in short knew nothing. It was as if they were from a different illiterate
world.
Though it was a herculean task to inculcate them,
but this challenge was accepted as a solemn duty by that entire organization.
Special attention, hours and hours every day, were given on all areas for their
development and growth. For the first six months, they could not even
understand the basics. But after six-seven months, when they had shed inner fear
from their brain, both started doing wonders and started learning alphabets, etiquettes, and manners…. They started doing anything like a kid from higher society even
they started dreaming of becoming a doctor or teacher etc.
In 2012, taking their growth, they were got
admitted in a good public school by this organization. In short, surprisingly
they did very well and both were among the first five in their classes. In
sports, music, and dance also they had started doing well. Everyone was happy to
see their growth.
But all of sudden in 2014, their father refused
to send them to school. On being asked he excused that he could not do any work
know and as such he wanted these kids to do some work to support his day to day
life. It was very sad and surprising. Ultimately he withdrew these kids from
public school in spite of fervent appeals of all volunteers from this organization.
One day what was seen, was shocking! The girl, in her tender age, was
doing work as a maidservant with her soft hands in a big house on a monthly petty wage
and the boy was compelled to join some tea/coffee stall to clean the utensils…how
pathetic it was. Destiny had crumbled upon them!
Just think about who spoiled their life- parents,
luck, God or anything else? Why we are so selfish? Why do we not come out of
our selfish motifs even in the matter of our kids? Was that the duty of a
parent towards his own kids? Could liquor lead to such a downfall of a person? Could the rich class be so merciless to have kids to keep them their slaves in their tender age?
Though I am busy in preparation for my exams this is haunting me like a ghost! I am disturbed and still thinking for the right answer…