Take care of yourself and others

The inimitable Ruskin Bond quotes Hillel, the Jewish scholar: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?” as maxims that dictate his life. There are lessons for every one of us in these profound words. (Hillel, incidentally, was the first to propound what he called the Golden Rule: That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow’.)

Each one of us has to stand up for our ideals and values, even if that means displeasing others. As has been said, it is a life skill. It requires conviction that the ideals for which you are taking a stand are ideals worth fighting for. There is the view of Martin Luther King that a man who won’t die for anything is not fit to live. This calls for self-belief, confidence, and courage. Courage does not mean that you are not afraid; it only means that you overcome the fear for a worthwhile cause. And your standing up for your ideals will inspire others to stand up for your cause and for you. Because only then will you be perceived as someone worth standing up for.

At a more mundane level, it means learning to take care of oneself. And this means taking care of ourselves both mentally and physically. Read, ponder, and think. Let your brain not become dormant. This can only happen if you take care of your physical self too. Which translated in the present-day world would mean regular exercise, a life of moderation, regular health check-ups, and not becoming a burden on others. Only then can we expect others to take care of us, if at all.

And if we take care of ourselves, we can be of help to others and to society at large. Indeed, what am I if I focus only on myself—self-centred and selfish—if not a bad specimen of humanity? We have to likewise support others who are willing to stand up for their ideals. We have to live for more than ourselves; we should be helpful, kind, and useful to others. And only if we support each other in whatever way we can, will society grow and humanity flourish.

Procrastination is the killer of good intentions; when we think and overthink and never act. When hesitation comes in the way of simple acts of kindness. So as the sage suggests, do it now—do what you can for yourself and others without any delay. Stand up for your ideals, support others who have the courage to stand up for theirs, and extend a helping hand wherever you can. The world certainly needs as many helping hands as possible.