God helps those who help themselves...

Once, two frogs accidently fell into a tank full of hot milk. While they both tried hard to swim and come out of it, they could just not find a way out. One of the frogs told the other, “Listen brother, there is no use trying. I am very exhausted of swimming continuously. I think we should just give up! Our end has come… there is no way out!” Saying this, he stopped swimming and died. The other did not give up…

He, too, had no idea how he was going to come out of this. Yet, he continued swimming. And then, as he swam frantically, the milk began to churn. Soon butter began to form in it. And then, the frog stepped on that butter and jumped out of the milk… J

I read this story when I was very small. It was in my copy of children’s story books. Those books always had small stories along with a lesson to be learnt from it. And I clearly remember the lesson written beneath this story –

God helps those who help themselves!

Ironically, when I read this story at that time… I did not properly understand the meaning of it. But it is amazing how the lessons we are taught at such a small age, and how much we remember and apply them, plays an interesting role in shaping up our lives. So why is it that now, years later, I was reminded of this story?

There is no particular reason. In fact, if I tell you the real reasons (which I will, shortly), you might probably begin to laugh. I was reminded of this in such small incidents in my life that happen almost every day with us. Yet, we do not notice them always. Since recently, I began to notice how I got a divine help in several ways. Reserve that for a little later, for now let me begin by giving an example of one of my very good friends.

He is one of the most handsome boys I have seen in my friend circle. For that, I am often jealous of him. Yet, there are other things in him – much bigger – that makes me admire him. He does not give up. While he has hundreds of reasons to surrender, he goes on – fighting relentlessly against all odds.

It sounds heroic of course. But it isn’t as simple as that. In fact, fighting any problem in life is not simple. It is always easy to sit somewhere and say never give up! But to actually face the storm and convince ourselves not to give up is the real challenge.

This friend of mine cannot listen properly. Doctors have told him that the situation is only going to worsen in the future. To look at it plainly, that is the only challenge. But as I said, it isn’t as simple as that.

It is not just about struggling with the strained ears, but also about struggling with unnecessary sympathy offered by people. It is also about fighting the feeling of a doomed future with no way forward clearly visible. And it is also about coping with natural expectations from family and perceived inability to meet them.

As is quite natural, many times he thinks of quitting. And yet, something inside him tells him to go on. To quote in his words –

“I really don’t know what I am going to do in this life. I have no clue how things are going to be better. Whenever I think about whether it is possible for my life to improve – I see nothing but blackness. And therefore, I have made a mental decision not to think about the future. I make it a point to ensure that I will not think about what will happen. I will just keep going… something will happen!”

Keeping his handsome looks aside, my friend really reminds me of that frog! That frog also did not have any clue about how the situation is going to improve. Yet, he kept swimming, with a belief that things will improve. And so how does God help him?

Whenever he feels low and feels like quitting – he discovers something, or understands something, or meets someone – that gives him a new ray of hope! It could be coming across a situation where you realise that things can improve. For example, in his case, finding out that he is able to listen over a particular mobile phone. Or when he was tired of attempting for his exams and just about to give up, he passed. 

Or it could be a sudden unexpected comment offered by someone that rejuvenates us. For example, when he started attending classes it was almost impossible to catch the words that the teachers speak. At the time when he was just about to give up, the teacher unexpectedly praised him in front of everyone – and this reminded him of his inherent strengths.

The point to capture from this case is – if you keep going, against all odds, God will help you.

Perhaps it is still easy for me to sit here and say this about him. But trust me, I wouldn’t have taken up this topic for writing my blog-post had I not experienced it myself. I always tell my friends that I have been very lucky throughout my life. And that is because somehow I feel God is with me.

Whatever position I am in today (which is a considerably good position that I humbly and thankfully acknowledge), it is largely because of many instances where divine help was somehow bestowed upon me.

I am funnily reminded of one incident from my childhood. I was about five or six years of age and we were in my mother’s native place to spend the summer holidays. One afternoon while I was returning from my uncle’s shop, my brothers wanted to come along; but I insisted that I will go alone. I thought I remember the way back home.

But, as misfortune had it, I lost my way. It was a far off town in a remote area in Maharashtra. And sadly I did not know Marathi. And I was of a small age. Naturally, I did not know what to do. I began to cry a lot. I ran from street to street… door to door… hoping that someone might turn up. My mother, my uncle, my brothers… someone!

Sadly, those at shop thought I reached home; while those at home thought I was at the shop! And so I ran across the streets for hours, having no clue where to go, whom to trust. And then came a divine help. One person riding a bicycle stopped ahead of me. I did not know him. I had never seen him. Naturally I was afraid.

But he did the unexpected. He came to me and asked, “My child, are you Shobha’s son?”  Hey! That was my mother’s name. How did he know I was her son! “Yes, I am,” I said desperately. I told him I lost my way. He carried me back home. When I reached home, I came to know that he was my mother’s teacher. He used to teach my mother when she was small.

Surprisingly, he recognised me because he thought my face resembles that of my mother!

How likely was it for him to turn up there at the very moment when I was there? And how likely was it for him to recognise a small boy running across the street as the son of one of his long time back students? You think it is very unlikely?

No. It is very much likely. You know why?

Because God helps those who help themselves.

I can recall countless such incidents from my life. I recall how I faced a lot of difficulty in understanding the business when I joined for one of my assignments recently, and suddenly my boss told me he was ready to help me on a Sunday also. I recall how I studied a particular 10 marks question two hours before my CA Final exam which came ad verbatim in the question paper. I can go on for hours, but there is something more important to consider?

Is it always true?

God helped Draupadi when she was being disrobed in front of men. But where was God when Nirbhaya was being brutally raped and murdered in Delhi? God helped me when I was giving my exams with little preparation. But where was God when my friend worked relentlessly for hours and still could not pass for want of one mark?

Would you say that it was Nirbhaya’s fault that God did not help her?

I do not want to challenge our faith in the Supreme. Some of the people reading this might even say that such titles look good and interesting to read. While there are many examples where some help was given, there are also many examples when God did not help…

What should we do then? Well, when there is no way out – there are practically two alternatives. Either we can give up, or we can try to do something. If we give up, we will lose. But if we try something, we may get through. And it is this hope on which the world stands today. Hope is everything.

There is hope that a new government might turn the way things work. There is a hope every morning that something better will happen this day. There is a hope when you go to sleep… that you will wake up to see the sun tomorrow. There is a hope. And when there is a hope, there is a way. Never give up on it. (I recall Shawshank Redemption)

Once again you will tell me that all this is easy to say.

But I will tell you the truth now. Why am I writing all this? Not because I have achieved everything. But because I want to remind myself of keep going. Right now in my life, I am facing certain challenges and I really do not know how to go about solving them. Yet, as I write this, I feel God will help me. Which is why I shared this with everyone. We should just keep reminding ourselves that things are going to improve. And they will.

Yours forever,

Palkesh Asawa