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Inner Thoughts
"Food for Thought"
RS, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2005
If you’re the average citizen, chances are that you are living life as dictated by the standards of today’s society. It has become a constant struggle to obtain and keep up with the never ending emergence of material possessions that the world deems we cannot live without. Things such as the i-pod, perfume, plasma TV, expensive cars, the latest fashion… The media has bombarded us with advertisements to such extent that it has become a usual part of our daily thoughts and needs.
There is nothing wrong with wanting a high standard of living. The trouble is that it tends to make us insular. Our finances never seem to be enough for us. Yet if we give as much focus and attention to the impoverished and deprived strata of our society as we do to our personal needs, we will find that we have more than enough to extend a helping hand
Do not search in your pocket for what you have to give. Search in your heart. How would you feel if your child lived in poverty, had to go begging in the streets to help provide food for the family, go barefoot to school( if at all), or suffer sickness because of inadequate shelter? Would you condone it? Would you be able to live with the fact that your child will grow up with no good memories and exist in the world only with limited choices because of poverty? You would not.
Open your eyes to the harsh reality that these children do exist. Like hardy plants they manage to survive possessing nothing but their own beautiful souls. Let us help them grow. Something as simple as getting involved with charity work in your local church or organization can matter a lot. Share those old clothes, loose change, old books, share your talents. Spread your new awareness of these children’s silent cry for help and act upon it. If we ignore their need, we ignore that part of us that make us human - for we are all connected by the common thread of our humanity. They could be your child.
"Deprived"
by Janet Ang, California USA 2004
One weekend, on our way to the mall going along Edsa in a taxi with my Mom. The stoplight turned red. Then a dirty looking woman suddenly appeared beside our cab and began begging for alms. I was so touched i had to give. I realised no matter how deprived i felt i was, i was still more priviledged than this old lady as i could still go to shop or that I had money to spare. I look around the area, and I saw a little girl running from car to car also begging for alms. I look at them and realised that life really wasn't fair... but not for me but for them...
But that was not the end, after i gave alms, the cab driver immediately said that these people are just being used by syndicates who uses this tactic to earn money and not to give them money. To me this may be true, but the question is, WHAT IF this old lady was trully in need, then you would have missed a chance to help! What if this old lady was helping her kid who was sick, then you would have surely killed the kid.
A few bucks from your pocket will not make you hungry, but a few bucks to them will surely keep them from dying today.
"My Personal Insight"
by Lee Nena, Philippines 2003
Getting involved in such various community programs like charity work has been more meaningful to me in helping me understand the reasons why we are all connected to each and every existing human. Hence, defining how we should commit ourselves by means of reaching out to poor and less fortunate people. For some, charity meant only by giving something literally, but as I’ve gotten myself much into deeper perception it all meant not merely something materially you can give but it also includes your whole self. It makes up of kindness, tenderness, understanding, generosity and that all sums up to one major manifestation of love.
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