“The delightment and contentment I experienced after teaching the less privileged children and on noticing a complacent smile on their lips cannot be expressed in words!” Ananya exclaimed with joy. “I work for an NGO that provides all basic amenities to the elderly people and enables me and several others to spend quality time with them. This I feel is the best I could do out of my life!” Arjun shared with tears in his eyes.
“My husband and I are sponsoring the education of our housemaid’s daughter!” Arti told her friend with pride.
“Last month, we donated a basket full of clothes; a dozen books and stationery items; several pairs of footwear to the children of construction workers that reside in the vicinity of our place. Seeing the gratitude and happiness in their eyes, we decided to practise this every month!” They said to their neighbours with great bliss.
“My brother donated blood last week and he has been filled with felicity since then!” Rahul told his girlfriend.
SOCIAL SERVICE. Two broad-heavy-and-meaningful words that ring numerous bells in our minds. In the present day, when Education itself is not confined to books and notebooks, how can we limit our horizons and ideas related to Social Service?
Along with the above stated examples picked up from real-life incidents, there are plenty of ways by which the society can be served. There is no denial in admitting that ‘Charity begins at Home’ and our most basic responsibility is to respect our elders, treat those who work with and for us with due regard, minimize wastage of resources and ensure peace and harmony in our households. Serving the society would also consist of obedience towards the rules and regulations that govern our society. Not encouraging beggary and instead making provisions and facilities available for a comfortable livelihood of the poor can be a wise step. Paying special attention to those old parents whose impertinent children leave them alone in the hands of negligence and desolation, spending time with them in old-age homes and taking charge of their medical facilities is another sensible step to take.
Despite the purity and nobility of teaching the less privileged children, it cannot be the ONLY way of doing social service! With wide open eyes, we can see Social Service as a broad spectrum of opportunities, ways, feelings and emotions, those of which are not bound to a single thought.