A boy,still in his teens,has read my post, “Freedom of Expression & Choice.” He has written a post “Thinking“. Kurt Cobain’s blog is just one post old. He read comments on my post. He was very upset with all the rationality and the feel of real world was quite upsetting for him. His post reflects the simplicity and passion of a teen, unspoilt by cynicism.I wish him all the best in life.
Here is his post:
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I was one day coming back from Noida, way back to my home. In the way i was supposed to change a bus. I was walking upto the bus stop, in the way i saw a lady begging. I used to ignore those beggers whom i suppose that they can earn their money but instead they are begging, but not this lady. She was not a pretty site to see, without one leg. Her clothes were really dirty and torn. She was constantly giving me vibes of her helplessness and pity. I kept on walking and at the same time staring at her. I was unable to move my eyes from her. I don’t know what she was mumbling but surely she was asking for money. Some people ignored her like she’s a piece of shit. But she did’nt mind that i guess from her geusture. I turned around and walked upto her. I saw her begging pot, there were hardly 10 to 20 bucks in her pot, all in 1 or 2. I looked up at her in her eyes, her eyes were telling me that this lady wants money more than anyone else on this planet.
I reached my pocket there were about 575 bucks but i took out a lame 20 bucks and I dropped that piece of money in her pot. I can’t believe that she reached out to touch my feet for those 20 bucks. I felt so guilty. Folks! do we ever think spending 20 bucks!! and this ordinary 20 rupees bill meant so much to her. I was in tears. I fealt so miserable. There’s so much poverty in our country, and people say that it’s my money and i’ll spent it the way i want. I also used to do the same with my pocket money, but now i feel so bad about it. I wish I could have not wasted those money in buying some fancy clothes just to impress some bimbo, Instead done somethig productive. Wasting money on clothes or on junk food is so fucking sad when you see people around you starving and moving in clothes torn from here and there, with an inch of dirt on them. How you people close your eyes when you move. You people will easily spend money in Barista or Mcdonalds but if a rickshaw waala will ask you 5 or 10 buck more than normal then you people will be ready to fight with him. I’ll suggest you to go to Jama Masjid, I’m sure it’ll be an eye opener for you people. I’ve seen a real india there. I had smelt stink in the shape of poverty. I just want you to think about the children on the street selling newspaper, before you burn your money in some lousy place. Wearing nice clohtes, eating in some hi-fi food chain never defines a person. I’m closing this blog here, but i’ll write more.
P.S. :- This is for those who say that it’s my money and i’ll spend it the way i want. In a nutshell for metropolitan rats!!
its nice to come across ppl like this every now and then. Perosnally I generally try not to give to beggars. Nothing to do with the thought that its my mone n all that stuff. Neither is it that I am blind to somebody else’s plight. There have been a couple of times whn i went out of my way to help sombody but then i hav actually people who hav made a profession out of this with a bank a/c n everything. twice it has happened to me personally tht a pregnant woman asked me money to go to hospital. But a little distance later i saw her flat bellied n spending the 1000bucks i gave her.
I am not saying tht it was wrong per se. maybe she was needy n she figrd this was a better way to gain sympathy but u do feel torn between the feeling of being cheated and tht of helpless ness because I wasnt at a point in my life to b of actual serious help to sombody beyond just handing out money.
tht was just my 2cents onthis
Yeah, I’d second khotta. But at the same time, the post above strikes the heart.. before sipping on a 50-rupee coffee at some place, it might be worthwhile sparing a thought for these people. I personally am not a fan of all those hip-hop, but this post has reminded me of something which I thought I’ll practice in life and then forgot somehow.
Thanks for sharing this, Alka
This post along with some others has churned a whirlpool of emotions in my mind, is it the helplessness to help the situation or is it the guilt of enjoying the previliges that many don’t, whatever it is, it is heartbreaking.
at times real needy people remain neglected because of few. Again identifying them is not so difficult with kind human’s eyes.
Spending money for expensive coffee or branded stuff is ok but helping the needed person. But some events – agarbatti bachne wala, subah se khus nahi khaya but when you try to help by giving food (Read good one, not bachu hua) still they will refuse and ask for money.
Helping a child by funding primary education but money goes for buying bottles of alcohol for father.
hmmm…
silence … this is what I felt reading it. I did not know that guys can cry too… but, tears began dropping from my eyes …
Great 1. Keep it up
omg i know wot that is.. fighting over some cheap bucks somewhr n then spending loads on brands.. n then actually showing ur cheap ass thoughts when they see a beggar on a light.. i mean all that thoughts that “they shud work n not ask for money like that.. ” and “they r just lazy to work”… its okay.. but not everytime.. cmon guys nothing gonna go wrong in ur life is u give them some lil money that they can buy their food for the day… ya me too feels guilty at such instances.. and my god, that lady must have felt terrible.. ofcourse u felt extreme emotions too..
I did not feel bad when I read this post…rather I was glad that it has served the purpose of an eye-opener to many…my eyes are already open…and I am not bragging about it…my life is dedicated to serve the purpose that I nurture…I won’t say that I am a perfect human because no one really is…that’s what is life all about…we learn and we continue to learn all our life…and that makes us more human…always…I know what is pain since I have been through it albeit in a lesser measure…but then we possess brains to comprehend the state of others in an effective measure if and only if we feel them from within…once my friend adviced me not to play “GOD”…I know I can’t, with all the limitations I possess…but I can follow the righteous path however tough it might be…as said rightly by someone…”when the going gets tough…the tough get going”…I believe that merely helping someone for once or more than once does not serve the purpose in a larger scope…expand the horizons and its boundaries by training people to help themselves…that would be the real help you can ever do to anyone since such a knowledge would stay with them and continously help them for a lifetime…create awareness amongst the masses and they will take care of themselves much better…much much better…spread the knowledge with a kind word of humanity attached to it…and you have really done something worthwhile…thank you Alka ji for a wonderful post…God bless you.
(P.S. I may not be always right but chances are that I may not be always wrong either…it solely depends on how you take it in your stride…)
Hi! I came over from mavericks blog & stopped off at the kurt cobain blog on the way. just read your post dealing with,amoung other things, Americas poor, which i grew up as one of.
Interesting statistics of yours. i suspected I wasn’t that bad off. but, being a ‘poor American’ did help me to learn compassion for the needy.
I remember the shock I felt when i went to Mexico & saw really poor people, without the benifit of government aid, that we have here.
Your concluding line reinforced the arguments that “metropolitan rats” offer.
The boy in teens made a conscious choice whatever the motivations behind him to give Rs.20 to the old woman. If “donate or else…” argument is stretched a little more, some proponents would argue, why the heck only Rs. 20 when he had Rs. 575.
Anyway, I appreciate his little gesture…made a world of difference to the old woman. Thanks for pointing us to it.
Khotta, I hope you are feeling better now. And you have graduated with good grades. You rarely write anything on your blog these days. When you were in India, your were more “vocal”. Hope do read more posts on your blog. Even if its Chinese or Korean adventure. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Sudipta, with such simple thoughts, how can you write a post “Absurdity redefined” :-)I am wondering. That too, when you claimed that you have edited a major portion of it. 🙂
Maverick, I read your current posts. You have said a lot in few lines. AND I agree that we all experience a feeling of helplessness at some point.
Paavani you are right. People do cheat and make fun of large heartedness. But these kind of people are everywhere, be it corporate world, academics, cinema or politics.
Jay, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hope, by now you have sought your mom’s advice and feeling happy and jovial. 🙂
Girl, I can understand what you are experiencing. In future, we can read more on philosophy on your blog. Wishing you truckloads of peace and happiness.
Prancer, why don’t you write a post on your experiences? Your comment make a nice read. What a good thing you have said
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we learn and we continue to learn all our life
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I agree with trainging part. Imparting knowledge is the greatest thing we can do to a needy person.
Ltart the difference between developed and developing countries is glaring.What you consider poor at your place, here a middle class family enjoy that lifestyle.I hope, you have a blog. I will like to read it.
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Kurt’s post is a relief. As you rightly said Alka, if India has thinking teens like Kurt, Her future is safe….
Alka ji…as per your wish i have given a post on my blog…exclusively for you…
Patrix, thank you very much for commenting. I agree with so many ifs and buts, but the thing is, the person has feelings for the lady. And Patrix, there is never a threat of, “donate or else…” But you have lots of grace and dignity(many can call it diplomacy :-)). I hope you retain it always.
KJ, welcome to the blogging world. All the best.
Ritu, thank you for everything. And I like your recent post. Hope you maintain this frequency.
Prancer, I am still thinking about you and what you have gone through. But its very important that people like you must succeed. Somewhere I read “Nice guys finish first.” I want to continue believing in that.
hmmm…stick on to your belief Alka ji…maybe your prayers are answered… 🙂
Your website is a great supply of facts.
My philosophy – just give it and don’t repent. If it was needed it would have helped. If it wasn’t even then it would have helped.
I just give and forget, whenever I do.