The First Step…

I was waiting for the train, not on the station but near a railway crossing, school was over and I wanted to reach home as soon as possible so that I could watch my show…..;). The barricades were not that heavy I could easily lift them up and run away but my house was far and I couldn’t have walked till there. Me along with my friend were aimlessly roaming while waiting for the train to arrive. There was a school bus standing in the queue. Most of the kids were inside and few of them were playing outside. Many other vehicles where there waiting for the train to pass. Meanwhile an old man came on his bicycle. He had two huge bags on his carrier; he came forward and tried to pass through the barricade. He would have managed easily if he was alone but with those huge bags it was difficult. I thought of helping him but was hesitant to do that, don’t know why. I again looked at him and found him struggling with the barricades, which was when I let go of my initial inhibition. I went close to the barricade to lift it up, my friend came and together we helped the old man cross the railway track. Another person helped him with the barricades on the other side. I still remember, while watching him cross the track and disappear on the other side, he didn’t say thanks; he didn’t even give me a smile. In fact he didn’t even turn back, he just went away. Still I was so happy, feeling immensely good and proud about it. At 14 years of age, I had taken my first step. Even to this day I often say to myself “Thank God I helped him; Thank God I took that first step.

That day I learned one thing, helping others was in a way helping myself, I came out of the inhibition and did something which I wanted to. I am sure we all do something like this in our day-to-day life and that contributes in its own way. As I grew up, I realized that’s not even a small drop in the ocean, our society needs much more than that.

Little acts like helping others in crossing road or in finishing the homework are important and something we should continue but I wanted to contribute in a more meaningful way. That was when I decided to join the development sector full-time. I’m not saying that all of us should get into development sector full-time to contribute! But every one of us needs to take the first step to help and try to make it regular with bigger impacts.

…and the journey never ends