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Be Content About Your Life

Wonder if any of you ever had the feeling that life is bad, real bad… and you wish you were in another situation? Do you find that life seems to make things difficult for you, work sucks, life sucks, everything seems to go wrong?

It was not until yesterday that I totally changed my views about life; after a conversation with one of my friends.

He told me despite taking 2 jobs, and bringing back barely above $1000 per month, he is happy as he is. I wonder how he can be as happy as he is now, considering that he has to skimp his life with the low pay to support a pair of old-age parents, in-laws, wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a household.

He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in India.

That happened a few years ago when he was really feeling low and was touring India after a major setback. He said that right in front of his very eyes, he saw an Indian mother chopped off her child’s right hand with a chopper. The helplessness in the mother’s eyes, the scream of the pain from the innocent 4 years old child haunted him until today. You may ask why did the mother do so, has the child been naughty, was the child’s hand infected??

No, it was done for two simple words — to beg. The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be handicapped so that the child can go out to the streets to beg. I cannot accept how this could happen, but it really did, just in another part of the world which I don’t see.

Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a small piece of bread he was eating half-way. And almost instantly, flock of 5 or 6 children swamp towards this small piece of bread which was then covered with sand, robbing of bits from one another. The natural reaction of hunger. Striken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him to the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and bought every single loaf of bread he found in the bakeries.

The owner is dumb-folded, but willing, sold everything. He spent less than $100 to obtain about 400 loaf of bread (this is less than $0.25/per loaf) and spend another $100 to get daily necessities. Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As he distributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from these unfortunate. For the first time in life he wonder how people can give up their dignity for a loaf of bread which cost less than $0.25. He began to ask himself how fortunate he is as a Singaporean. How fortunate he to be able to have a complete body, have a job, have a family, have the chance to complain what food is nice what isn’t, have the chance to be clothed, have the many things that these people in front of him are deprived of…

Now I begin to think and feel it, too. Was my life really that bad?

Perhaps….no… it should not be bad at all….

What about you? Maybe the next time you think you are, think about the child who lost one hand to beg on the streets.

Story By Wendy Tan
Story Submitted to AcademicTips.org By Laura

{ 53 comments… add one }
  • priya December 11, 2017, 4:56 am

    As per many readers mentioned above – This could happen anywhere; country should not be mentioned. The INDIA has given so many things to the world without which mankind would have never survived. As per reader Asha mentioned, mother may not be the real mother and hence such unfortunate thing happened to the child.
    God bless all in the world.

  • Rupinder April 7, 2016, 12:28 am

    Yes I too think, the child must be kidnapped from somewhere as a real mother can’t do such a thing….but lack of food is definitely a big issue

  • Harshada May 19, 2015, 10:55 pm

    A good eye opener..

  • Jamshed Sanabili March 15, 2015, 9:37 am

    Nicw and Excellent stories

  • Asha December 2, 2013, 6:58 am

    I feel the mother may not be a real mother, probably the child could be an abducted one.

  • Lala November 25, 2013, 7:30 am

    Good story but I think hunger and poverty is not only in India but other countries too You can read more about somalia too

  • Rita September 25, 2013, 1:00 am

    This is what I thought to do to help others in need because I have been there. But we have to be careful.

  • Santosh September 20, 2013, 12:00 pm

    Very touching story. I think we all got this story. I request to all my brothers and sisters please help someone whenever you can.

  • Sunita August 14, 2013, 5:43 am

    Yes, of course… I really thanks to God to give me a life full of all resources.. which a person needs to live a Great Life with joy…and that too depends… how fortunate one feels about his conditions as Life is at every next step a fight, full of surprises.

  • Urvashi Nautiyal August 7, 2013, 12:40 pm

    Thanks for telling us how lucky we are, but country should not be mentioned because poverty does not belong to India only.

  • Aryan February 13, 2013, 12:36 am

    I agree with Rakesh, but govt should take necessary steps for the same and I must say my life is not that bad. 🙂

  • Chandni Wadhwani February 3, 2013, 11:03 am

    When we achieve one thing we wish for other human
    Nature is unsatisfied and we lure for materialistic
    Things even after knwng nthng is gotta go wth us..
    If u have enuf with u den leave ur greed aside nd help
    D ones who suffer even to hv their daily bread..
    WHEN WE CAN NO LONGER CHANGE A SITUATION
    WE ARE CHALLENGED TO CHANGE OURSELVES..
    So start taking steps individually if u want every
    Man to sleep with his tummy full…

  • Shanthi December 30, 2012, 9:56 am

    Nice and touching story!!!

  • Rakesh December 28, 2012, 3:19 am

    This is wrong to say that such thing happen in india. It happens in every part of the world.

  • Charm ♥ December 26, 2012, 10:29 pm

    Yes. Dave was right. It was shown in slumdog millionaire that the beggar boss made the children handicapped to earn more. My heart was crushed when I read that part. But this story really made me think if my life was too bad. I realized that I should start to appreciate even little things I have in my life specially greater or more important things in my life right now. ☺. thumbs up!

  • Esther December 13, 2012, 8:47 am

    Cute. Thanks for sharing it with us.

  • Paul December 12, 2012, 8:37 pm

    A very heart touching story, I realized how lucky I am even though I am not in a very well condition, at least I am having complete body parts.. Thanks for sharing this story it’s worth reading.

  • Embroidery Digitizing December 3, 2012, 1:23 am

    It is too much informative and I did not know about it before reading it. I liked it very much.

  • Bhe September 28, 2012, 7:43 pm

    It made me cry….huhuhu…

  • Chandum August 19, 2012, 5:32 am

    Fantastic……

  • Soni August 16, 2012, 1:56 am

    Yeah, I agree with the thought but it’s not about the place specific, it’s the action against need or hunger… it can be anywhere..

  • Nathan July 24, 2012, 2:52 pm

    That is true…

  • Mathalen July 10, 2012, 3:16 am

    This story is really, really excellent… it has made me realize who I am..

  • Paulami July 4, 2012, 2:31 pm

    I have never known what hunger is!!! and I hpoe the same for every other child!

  • SHIKHA June 26, 2012, 7:46 am

    This is a really nice story but India is also known for its mother’s love.

    • sagar December 31, 2021, 1:17 am

      Everyone love thier children equally bro but it is wrong to specifically mention a country or a place but still the story really teach us a lot

  • Ade June 13, 2012, 8:34 pm

    After reading the story, I just closed my eyes to thank God. Nice story.

  • lamia May 7, 2012, 8:58 am

    Thank you a lot. I try never to complain, when I feel That I want to complain I thing people who with great pleasure want to be in my place. That’s why I am greatful to Allah for all things (both bad and good) He gave, He aworded me…

  • Joy April 6, 2012, 6:30 am

    Of course, they never think what they have in the hand. Question is: Is this really people think below why not trying to see top one or above them.

  • Himanshu February 7, 2012, 2:23 pm

    Nice inspirational story but india is not like that really ..

  • Suman January 30, 2012, 10:14 am

    Thx, nice story. And sorry for those poor indian kids. I have even seen poor people in india eating vomite of other people. May God bless them

  • Brian Low January 4, 2012, 1:14 pm

    Great story 🙂 I will always remember the story about the kid whose arm been chopped off

  • Dave December 21, 2011, 3:52 am

    That story reminds me of the episodes in Slumdog Millionare where the “beggar boss” blinded one of the kids because the handicapped will earn double….. ( >_< )

  • Shreya December 7, 2011, 11:47 pm

    It’s not possible, a mother cannot chop her child’s hand to beg.. anywhere in world.. I have seen hunger & poverty around me… and many beggars too, beggar despise us by behaving either as physically challenged to earn more money.. or sometimes gang abduct child & may be chop their limbs..& force them to become beggar… But a mother cannot harm a child like this…

  • John December 7, 2011, 4:26 am

    Now that was an amazing insight !!!
    but it is depressing to realize that only a few of us really understand how privileged we are… Ah it is just so tough to be
    happy and be satisfied…

  • Nikhil December 4, 2011, 6:26 am

    very touching story

  • Gaurav_Luthra December 2, 2011, 8:38 am

    I got the lesson from the story, I appreciate your way to make us understand that we are very lucky. But I don’t believe a mother can do this, sorry 4 that. And we should not ignore the fact that we can be lucky for them also to provide atleast some food to them.

  • Ogwo David Emenike November 11, 2011, 11:39 pm

    Great piece! A time will come in a man’s life when he has to accept himself for better, for worse, and be contempt with what and where the heavenly fate has found for him.

  • Xin October 17, 2011, 10:20 am

    Yes, this story made us realized how lucky we are that we don’t have to beg just to survive. But I’d like to comment on the what that particular mother did to her child–IT’S NOT RIGHT! What kind of a mother would harm her child for the sake of survival?? And does the mother’s actions actually mean that she doesn’t want to BEG, let along WORK for her family?? God blessed us with kids so we could protect and nurture them. He entrusted us with this task. How could that mother just chop her kid’s hand and just think of another way to save her family? SHAME on her!!!

  • Bhawana September 24, 2011, 3:42 am

    Thanx 4 this heart touching story which make us realize that how lucky we are? It’s also give us a moral that GOD give make us able to help those who are unable.

  • Shalini Sairam September 19, 2011, 3:20 am

    Very well said and really thanks a ton for sharing this true fact of life. It is very unfortunate that people do not realise what they have and keep running after things which are fake. I am thankful to Sai and my parents and this world for everything what I have and will keep sharing my happiness with others as i do now. Om sairam!

  • Priyanka Kumari September 9, 2011, 4:19 am

    By reading this story I realised that I am one of the happiest girl in the world…………………………thank you GOD for giving me so much………..and also thanks to my mom and dad and my only elder brother for giving me such a wonderful life……………….thanks to all the world

  • Axel Williams August 26, 2011, 9:44 pm

    That was a heart touching story..

  • Samir Yadav August 26, 2011, 12:27 pm

    This touch my heart… and i thank to god for give me…complete body…great parents who understand me.: now i will try to understand my god{my parent}.

  • Madan August 6, 2011, 9:53 am

    Nice… but it’s not only about India, you can find fight for hunger everywhere in whole world whether it is India or Singapore.

  • Manish Roy August 4, 2011, 3:34 am

    Really very effective and directive story….thanx a looooot……

  • harvinder kumar July 21, 2011, 6:46 am

    WONDERFUL

  • Feri July 20, 2011, 5:38 am

    Moving one, really….. it really is…thanks a loooooot….

  • Uma July 12, 2011, 2:32 am

    Good one!!!!

  • Rachel June 28, 2011, 11:28 pm

    heart touching

  • Krishan Vohra June 26, 2011, 6:46 pm

    Very good story. Give appeal.

  • Aroonkumar June 24, 2011, 1:56 pm

    Nice one Stephen!!

  • Sk Sanaullah June 19, 2011, 1:53 pm

    Excellent

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