According to the 2012 World Giving Index, Singapore has an overall ranking of 114thout of 146 countries, which is within bottom one-third. What is even more disturbing is that under the giving behaviour“Helping a stranger”, Singapore is ranked 140th, a mere six places from the bottom. With such a ranking, maybe it is time to find out “What is the best kind of help and who do we help?” The following is an excerpt from my book “Wisdom on How to Live Life (Book 5)”, which is a conversation between a young man Tom and Guru Harry.
Tom: How should we help another?
Harry: You know there is a saying?
Tom: What is the saying?
Harry: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Tom: So, teach him to be independent.
Harry: And there is still another point about helping another.
Tom: What is the point?
Harry: Give unplanned help.
Tom: Oh? What is that?
Harry: Well, let's go back to charity work.
Tom: Back to charity.
Harry: This is planned help.
Tom: You mean there is a plan to help.
Harry: But then sometimes somebody needs help suddenly.
Tom: When we don't have a plan to help.
Harry: Then, do we help?
Tom: But we don't have a plan to help.
Harry: No, many people do not help.
Tom: Because they don't have a plan to help.
Harry: But actually we must help.
Tom: Because the person needs help.
Harry: This kind of help is the best help.
Tom: You mean unplanned help.
Harry: And there is another point about helping another.
Tom: What is the point?
Harry: Who do we help?
Tom: Who what?
Harry: Do we only help our friends and relatives?
Tom: Or people of certain affiliation?
Harry: Or do we help strangers?
Tom: And people who can give us absolutely nothing in return?
Harry: Do we help everybody?
Tom: Or just a selected few?
Harry: Love all, serve all.
Dr. Tommy Wong is the author of the book series “Wisdom on How to Live Life”
