The Bigger Deal

“Be the reason someone believes in good people.”

This is one of the notable quotes which oftentimes grace our social media handles. And quite unexpectedly, I met its fulfillment just a couple of weeks ago, an experience that’s worth reminiscing about and drawing a couple of lessons from.

As any visitor frequently does while visiting a new country, we innocently sought directions to a certain place. Most were kind enough to give us a minute to explain which public transport means to use and the route to take, yet one stood out amongst them all.

He didn’t just give the customary verbal directions, leaving us to figure out for ourselves on the go, but unprompted and without any promise of a reward, he decided to suspend his plans of going home after a long day’s toil and chose to accompany us to the exact place we desired. His priceless assistance transformed our shopping experience into an effortless and cost-effective venture.

Towards the end of the two hours we spent with him, one of us asked this curious question, “Why did you choose to help although we are strangers?” His response was heart-warming and will remain etched upon our minds:” I helped you because we are all human beings.”

Our newfound friend didn’t care whether we belonged to the same religion or tribe or race, social class, etc. As far as he was concerned, the indivisible unifying factor that transcends all these imposed and divisive strata was this, “We are all human beings.”

Why do I share all this today? For this simple reason: We live in a society that subtly and overtly emphasizes individualism over collectivism. In some spaces and instances, human contact and collaboration are only entertained when absolutely necessary. As an unintended consequence, we no longer constantly rub shoulders with the niceties of fellow sapiens. No wonder when one experiences basic human virtues, such a rarity makes the incidence a constant point of reference.

Truth is, goodness and benevolence are so scarce in our malevolent world to an extent that we might easily doubt the genuineness of the doer. In fact, some people order their lives as if they are a superior breed of mortals. They only lend a helping hand to their kith and kin and will extend their dutiful service only after their hands are greased with filthy lucre. What a shame!

As the new year slowly takes shape, I seek to remind us that we all have a common origin and share one blood. Our humanity and frailty are a shared token. None is special or more human than the rest of us for we are all equal before the eyes of the Almighty. But even much more than this reminder, what if this year and beyond each of us purposes to make a difference in someone’s life, not because you expect anything in return but because they are human and so are you. What if you refer someone to that job today, not because you need a kickback but because they are human and so are you. What about you share hope with a despondent soul every time you have a chance to, not because you seek recognition and applause when that soul finally ‘makes it’, but because we are all human beings!!

If we do so, then the quote, “Be the reason someone believes in good people,” will no longer be a cool statement to adorn our social media handles but rather an actuality whose practicality is ever demonstrated in our lives. This is the bigger deal.

Perhaps Sunny Bindra punctuates it more succinctly:
“The most genuine relationships are like this. The teacher who takes great joy in the growth of her proteges, even if they never acknowledge it. The chief executive who trains and coaches young executives, even if they go on to bigger posts than his. The president whose greatest satisfaction is the uplift of the common citizen, even if no statue is ever erected to commemorate her. Those are all bigger deals… Our true humanness will come from those rare moments where we just give and forget. We all need at least a few of those.”

Cheers, good people to a week and lifetime characterized by genuine interactions and transaction-free relationships!!