Published on: Apr 3, 2014 at 16:17

Is Being Kind a Weakness?

I was searching for an accountant job in Qatar when my uncle helped me by providing a visa. During that time, since I had some free time, he came to know that I had knowledge in web development and asked me to redesign his company website into a responsive one. I agreed, but honestly, my mind was not at peace. I told him I would do it after getting a job, but he wanted it done as soon as possible and gave me a choice—either I take it or he would give it to someone else.

I knew how much web developers usually charge, so I told him clearly that I was ready to help and would do it free of cost. There was no need to spend money outside. Still, he said it was not about money; he would pay me, but compared to others, he could save something. Even though I wasn’t fully ready, I agreed. Within two days, I prepared a layout, and after his managers reviewed it, they assigned the full project to me.

This is how I am. If I can help someone, I will—no matter who they are or what the situation is. I don’t expect anything in return. I only earn from my profession, because deep inside, I still believe in a society where people help each other. But slowly, I started noticing something different. The world is changing. People are becoming more distant, and helping others feels rare. Pride seems to be growing more than kindness.

One day, while I was working at the office, a man walked in. He looked uneducated, maybe new to the country, and politely asked if someone could help him create a CV. The manager immediately replied, “This is an office. We don’t do such things.” That moment stayed with me. It would have taken just five minutes—just five minutes to help someone who clearly needed it—but instead, he was sent away.

If this had happened in Kerala, I wouldn’t have felt this bad, because he could easily find a DTP center nearby. But in Gulf countries, things are different. For someone without a vehicle, even small tasks become difficult, and places are far to reach. That’s when you realize how much a small act of help can mean.

When I was a child, life felt different. People helped each other without thinking twice. There was unity, there was warmth. But as I grew older, especially after 17, I began to see the change. People started focusing more on themselves. I once asked some elders about this, and they said something simple—earlier, people had less money, so they shared what they had. Now people have more, but they share less.

I see it everywhere now. People act busy, avoid giving time, and some even feel that helping others—especially by spending time—reduces their value or status. Sometimes even I get the thought, “If others don’t help, why should I?” But I never let that thought stay for long.

Because in the end, life is short. Maybe around 60 years on average. And in that small time, what really matters is not how much we earn, but how much we give. If we help someone today, that kindness continues through them tomorrow. But if we stop, that chain breaks. So no… being kind is not a weakness. It is a strength that the world is slowly forgetting—and I choose not to forget it.