THE MESS INSIDE... THE MESS OUTSIDE

There are two kinds of people in this world: the cribbers and the doers. Those who habitually complain about what is wrong with everything around… and, those who come forward and do something to solve the problem. Yes, those who curse the darkness - the reactive people; and those who light a candle do dispel the darkness - the proactive ones.

All around us, we find these two kind… They have been there since the time of Kane and Abel.

Last morning, a member of my housing Society showed me a ‘mess’ created outside by some other members and started cribbing.

What mess? These members love crows and pigeons…. so much, that they throw from their windows all sorts of food items, particularly the leftover chapattis, so that the hungry crows can be fed. A good value. They also argue, that the food should not be wasted. Another good value. But, then, they are blind to other values… that they make mess outside and cause inconvenience to other members. These members have been informed about it many times, both gently and firmly… There is also a fine for such nuisance agreed upon in the General Body. But, all those things apart, the mess still continues.

“Why can’t you do something about it?” the complaining member asked me, the Hon. Chairman of our Society.

“We have tried our best to make these members end their habit,” I gently explained to the complaining member, “I have personally gone to their homes and spoken.”

“Today is Sunday; they must be at home,” he pointed, “Why can’t they be made to come down to see the mess here?”

“Chalo, we’ll go up,” I held the concerned member’s hand, “Hope, they will realize.”

“Do one thing,” the man immediately excused, “you go up; I have got some important matter to attend to.”

With that, the matter closed!

When I reached the Society office, I found on the table the latest issue of the monthly magazine from Maharashtra Housing Societies’ Welfare Association. Incidentally, there was this story.

One day, when a farmer was walking along the village street, he found a huge stone right in the middle of the street.

“Who could be so foolish to do this?” the farmer reacted, “People are so irresponsible.” Saying so, he went his way.

Next came a milkman. When he saw the boulder in the middle of the road, he yelled out in anger, “Why can’t someone punish these culprits?” After venting out his frustration, he too walked away.

A while later, a bullock-cart came along. On seeing the boulder, right in the middle of the road, the owner of the cart, got off and began to move the stone aside. With great difficulty, the man was able to clear the road not only for himself, but also for others.

What was a pleasant surprise was:  the moment the heavy stone was moved from the place, the bullock-cart owner found, right under the boulder, a note which read:

“You are the only deserving soul to walk through this road. Your service is the rent you have paid for the privilege of using the road. You are the real ‘doer’… while others are just ‘cribbers’!”

I remembered the member who was cribbing about the ‘mess’ outside… He wanted me to clear the mess for him…

That’s how it has, always, been, everywhere… all through the ages… Yes, right since the days of Kane and Abel…

There are two kinds of people in this world: the cribbers and the doers!

And, yes, there are two kinds of mess in this world: one inside… and, one outside!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Amrita Jeurkar