Sympathy

We all normal humans tend to show sympathy towards others. We tend to help the needy. 

I got an opportunity today to demonstrate such behavior. I didn’t have any intention to let that chance go.

I was driving really fast and approaching a zebra crossing for pedestrians. I saw somebody waiting to cross the road. I suddenly applied the brakes. One good reason for such act of mine was to show off to other drivers that I had seen or at least heard about the fact that in advanced countries people stop their vehicle a few yards away if some pedestrian tries to cross the road.  The real reason was that the well-dressed, gentleman who was trying to cross the road was in crutches. Probably his left leg was temporarily out of order, he was holding single crutch on his left side. 

I was sympathetic to him and stopped my vehicle for him to cross. All non-sympathetic people started honking continuously from behind. Sympathetic drivers tried to overtake me, staring at me as if my vehicle had broken down. To my agony, neither my noble act nor the deafening honking sound from others did make any impact on the “physically differently-abled” man. He was happily talking over his mobile phone holding tightly to his right ear making good use of his only free hand! Standing stationary wherever he was with a gesture close to trying to cross the road.

Sadly some needy people don’t expect such sympathy from others, though they well deserve it.

It could also be possible, the circumstances might lead someone not to utilize or misuse the favor offered to him.  

I was in class 5. As usual I always used to get used-text-books of my elder sister, no new books for me! My parents used to constantly remind her to take good care of her text books so that they could be used by me later, which constantly encouraged her more not to open the books unnecessarily or otherwise! 

That year, probably mathematics was a bit tough for her. Parents’ intervention was required. End result, the maths text book was opened and closed more frequently, a few pages were torn or soiled. Though the book could have been used even in that condition, my parents decided to buy a new one for me. I had two copies of the same text book.

Since there were no statistical study reports then available which would have probably suggested that students holding two copies of text book of the same subject tend to score more in that subject, I was not all that keen to hold on to both the books. I decided to gift the older book to Anil, little, pale friend of mine. He was from a poor back ground and could not afford to buy even any thinner book than maths for that matter. I did see the book with him for a few days. And one fine day the book vanished. When I inquired about the book his answer was honest and simple “there was some money needed at home so I sold it!”

Our behavior of showing sympathy to others is natural, offering help is also natural, feeling happy that we could be of some use to others is also natural. Wise thing for us is not to worry too much on the outcome of our good deed, if we want to keep doing it. But knowing that our help was well utilized and it was impactful would double our satisfaction, and will urge us to do more, I guess.