Dreams are sweet; the sweetest are those that land you in a world of your own choices to meet the aspirations of your life. A few years back, my friend Gulzar had a dream. The dream was sweet and full of excitement. As a leading social activist, he found himself serving the needy & destitute in his surroundings.
In his dream, Gulzar was occupying a pivotal position, status, and wealth along with benevolence, empathy, and godly mercy. As a pure social servant, he was leading the acts of charity and sharing his fortune with all those who were less fortunate in this regard. Those who were the recipients mostly were deserving, e.g., the students from the less privileged families, who were desperate to get monetary help for academic purposes like admission fees, tuition fees, books, stationery items, subscriptions to online educational applications, examination charges the uniform, etc.
The second category was the age-old people who were abandoned, rejected, or ignored by their own blood relations and kith & kins. These people mostly were less visible but their number seemed increasing at an alarming speed. The multicultural tendencies and the cultural globalization has widened the concept of old-age homes and his home land too accepted this norm which has very cruel repercussions and many of his country men are now the victim of this trend in the peer waeer (Kashmir Valley).
Another category of recipients in his dream was orphans, victims of violence, and persons with disabilities. Here he was lending his hand to help them not only through financial means but also through other means like guidance and counseling, social empowerment, and the necessary appliances in order to uplift, support, and coach them through every possible way for their prosperous future life.
In a strange way, one more category of the recipients of Gulzar’s empathy and good will were the people who were not poor or in need of any material support but in dire need of emotional support. These people were hardly heard and less recognized hence the victims of social stigma. More than anything else they preferred a little bit of time so that they may be able to get heard, convey their feelings, thought, outlook and the view point with regard to the family, their way of life, religion extremism, social ills, cultural cohesion, science and technology, economic development and materialistic human life.
The dream continued and Gulzar found himself helping each and every one without any discrimination. There were no criteria of caste, colour, religion, status, gender, or geographical or cultural homogeneity. The agenda was ultimate service for the survival of humanity and the people got priority as per the exigency of their need.
It was all hidden and people were totally unaware of his personal involvement. The community was all appreciative of contributions but un-imaginative of the person behind the social work. The invisibility in the entire process was too satisfying and soothing and was providing absolute solace to Gulzar’s heart and soul. In his entire life span till now my friend was at the highest pedestal of satisfaction and contentment.
The echo of “Assalatu – Khairum – Minann – Naumm” shrouded the state of trance. Gulzar came out from the bedroom and performed the ablution and marched towards the local Masjid. In his prayers, he was all submissive and down on his knees prayed to Almighty Allah to bestow a heart full of human values, the hands full of generosity to help the poor, and the required fortune to help the needy.
He aspired to do the same in the real life and is now helping the needy people in his small village, the way he could. He is not rich and does not possess huge fortunes to end their all miseries but definitely through the benevolence and all possible means he supports the needy, destitute, old and unattended lot. It is this human service he has chosen for himself and which has satisfied his soul and heart. Let we think where we are? What are our aspirations? Are we satisfied?
(Author is Sr. Academic Officer, SCERT-KD)
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.