A morsel of selflessness:

A morsel of selflessness:

May 1, 2013 Off By Vinayak Gole

MOUNTAINS

Every single day, I see people around me aroused by the smell of money. I see people swarming like bees after a lucrative post. I see people who work tirelessly to step on the shoulders of peers, so they can rise up. Selfishness!! Being selfish is a well known trait and an accepted virtue in the corporate world. The struggle is endless. Every milestone reached has a signboard for the next one. The journey continues.

However, what they all forget that at the bottom of their hearts, they are all human. Every animal has a soft corner for its own species. Elephants always stick together, taking care of their pack. Even the wolves always stick together helping their young and caring for their old. But what about us? Have we not forgotten, what it means to be human? We always blame others for all the rife around us. People steal from the hungry so they can burn up the money on expensive drinks and exotic food. And though everyone is ready to blame luck or fate for the plight of these poor wretches, what we all forget is all it takes, is a morsel, a morsel of selflessness.

A branded pair of trousers cost on an average two thousand rupees and it takes about the same amount for a poor toddler to be saved. A night at a pub costs around three thousand rupees and it takes about the same to feed and educate a child for a year. But we are too busy having our meals of selfishness. We are more worried about a lost promotion because it will take away another round of luxuries. However, it doesn’t bother us one bit of a million children die around the world. A morsel from each one of us can save and nurture a better world.

And we always find excuses to be more selfish everyday. The taxman should find more black money and invest in eradicating poverty. The government should tax the rich more. Corporates should adopt villages. The list of selfish excuses is endless. People want to visit orphanages so they can get a picture of themselves feeding the poor kids. Others take a holiday in a village resort so they can experience the rustic life. And we feed on our meals. Everyday, more and more fodder of selfishness.

The inner peace that one experiences on giving up a morsel is something that cannot be described in words. When I started giving first, I felt like something mine had been snatched from me. But then after a year, it seemed like a morsel worth letting go of. It isn’t very easy but it is worth the effort. The world could be a better place. It could be happier, calmer, wiser and peaceful. And all it would cost us would be a morsel…..just a morse.

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