The above picture means so many things to me, for various reasons. But what is selflessness? Who is selfless?
I am an 86 year old woman. I had a fair share of hard times. My husband left me alone in this world four years ago. He battled illness for more than a decade. I fought along with him, i gave my everything to it, met all his demands. Now I’m alone and I’m waiting for God to take me home too. I’m tired and old. I think only of myself. I pester the people I stay with for simple things so that I have their attention. I act like a five year old sometimes; craving for attention. I say I’m not selfish.
I’m a 19 year old boy. I ditched her. I made her happy, gave her love, and then i left her when she needed me the most. I believe I cannot keep her happy. I believe she deserves better. Right now I’m not capable of handling her world as well as mine, someday in the future, maybe i’ll be able to, but not right now. I say I’m not selfish.
I am a19 year old girl. I’m the eldest of 3 sisters and our financial conditions are not as great as i would like them to be. Playing the role of the son that my family needs so much as well as that of the eldest sister is not easy. I work with my father after college, cook for the family and study late at night. People in class call me a parrot that memorises all textbooks. I refuse to help some of them, some..who have all the time in the world, but don’t study. I say I’m not selfish.
I’m a man nearing my fifties. Life has always been a tightrope walk, with people that I love on both sides. Keeping everyone happy is practically impossible for me. And still i tried. I’m happy with what I’ve done in my life, I believe in having no regrets. Now i do whatever brings pleasure to me. My work, my contacts, my professional reputation….all these things make up the world that i live in. And I’m content. I say I’m not selfish.
Life is never completely black and white. It’s the grays in the middle that make it worth living. To get into others’ shoes you have to take yours off first. And very few people can manage to do that.
