The Everyday Heroes (and definitely not Miss Universe)
http://news.id.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3027195&page=12
No beauty (I think this context actually warrants the word ‘pretty’ – ‘beauty’ is too sacred a word) can beat brains…
Who knew that a Miss Universe could write such an insensitive comment… what a drag. It shows how shallow and fickle the world has become (or perhaps, has always been).
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One day when I was still living in Canada, a couple of friends and I were on our way back to our residence when we walked past a gas/petrol station. There was a distressed woman (around her 40’s or early 50’s) trying to get her car to start again after refuelling, but it just could not start. She was from interstate and she could not call for any help. She cried and was almost at the point of giving up.
I had once experienced such an incident when I was a child (and watched my father as he tried to stop a car – any car – to help us jump-start our car), so I know what to do. The problem is… I don’t have another car that I can use to jump-start her car.
We tried to stop a few cars that were stopping to get some gas, Coke and chips… but people are surprisingly COLD when it comes to helping strangers. They even refuse to open their car windows or even get out of the car and show any compassion.
I even yelled at one car driver, “It wouldn’t take FIVE minutes!” No use. He drove away, leaving us with a bit of drizzle from the somewhat unfriendly weather.
Conclusion: So, after let’s say two dozens of cars and about TWO and a HALF hours of trying to stop people and cars, there was a car driver who was finally willing to help her. His car wasn’t the best that we had tried to stop earlier. In fact, he was a fourth-year university student (read: poor), and just purchased the car earlier during the day from a second-hand dealer. But he was willing to stop for us. Popped up the bonnet, connected his battery to the woman’s car, and the her car started again. It took less than five minutes, just like I said. But it also required a man with the kind of attitude that is scarily getting scarce.
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How about the workers and volunteers of your local non-profit organization? Just like teachers, they are the hidden heroes of the society, people who never get the recognition they deserve. They tackle poverty, help the often-forgotten socially inferior groups, and cure the itches and warts of society. All in return for just that warmth they feel when they know that the people they helped see a little bit more light at the end of the tunnel, and that they have helped to make the world more equally beautiful for everyone.
(There is surprisingly still a lot of work to be done!)
I want to make a special mention to these organizations, since I am, or was once, a part of them (but others are no less important):
- Salvation Army, BC, Canada
- UBC TREK, BC, Canada
- Wahana Kria Putri, Bali, Indonesia
- Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi, Bali, Indonesia
To the real heroes, I salute you.