Contents

S- ‘SELF RELIANCE’
You must go on in your life, without relying on others, self-dependent
and self-confident. In other words, self-help should be the guiding
principle of your life, your idea and your aspirations. But
circumstanced as you are or a person in general, absolute selfreliance
is impossible. You live in a society where the rule is mutual
help. You give and receive. This is perfectly right. Wrong comes in
only when you take without giving anything in return, when rights are
enjoyed or plunder but not exchange. But though absolute selfdependence
is impossible, yet there is ample room for self-reliance in
your life.
In actual practise we depend too much on others, we rely too much
on other’s help, sympathy, fellow feeling and goodness. But this habit
in actual term is harmful. It takes away all your energy and initiative.
It fills you with helplessness. Just as a child, who is not allowed to
walk for fear of falling becomes lame in the long run, so we turn
morally lame and deformed if we never try to practise self help in life.
By expecting too much from others, you get to invite ridicule, pity,
scorn and disgust. You are looked upon as hangers and parasites.
You become dead in terms of respect and honour. Your own
importance in the midst of people, full of energy makes you
miserable. Nothing is more pitiable than to live in jealousy.
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