We are often occupied with our own selves. Our desires, our fears, our ideals, our worries, our comforts, our families …. and the list goes on and on. Though it is certainly not wrong to think for our own selves, what can really be painful is to not look beyond ourselves. It is outright self-centeredness and a cause of serious concern if we are not even able to detect the pangs of pain around us. A parent in distress, an employee in discomfort, a friend in agony, a neighbour in anguish, an ailing acquaintance, a relative in grief, a pet in pain, a plant in need of water – these are some situations which require our attention – asap. We must look about and be on the look out for such scenarios. Our minds’ antennas should catch signals of grief and agony found around us and our eyes and ears should track down misery and sorrow that lie in our vicinity.

If we are vigilant in this regard, then the next step is action: to do whatever we can to redress such situations: financially, physically and intellectually. However, if nothing of this sort can be done, there still are some steps that we can take:

i. Hear out the person in grief; it will lessen his burden.

ii. Communicate this grief to others; maybe they will be able to help.

iii. Request others, if they too are helpless, to communicate this to their own circle of friends

iv. Beseech and invoke the Almighty from the depth of our heart and soul. It is said that at times prayers can move mountains!