(Written by a student at Macao University)
Many people fail to realize that "it is more blessed to give than to receive", and I have found those words from the Bible to be true; I've had that experience in my life.
I've always tended to help others when I believed that I could. I've helped in many ways such as bringing lunch to those who don't have time to buy it or tutoring those in trouble with their studies. When a person succeeds, I celebrate, too, and when people complain, I lend a friendly ear. As a result, I felt that I had made a lot of friends in the apartment building where I live.
Most of the time, I only get a quick "Thanks" after my mission is complete. I assume that they even forget completely the help I've been after a couple of days have passed. They sometimes make jokes about of what I've done by saying that it isn't right to be a good person today. In response, I generally just look at them and say, "I never expect to get anything in return".
Even though I didn't change my behavior, my spirit of giving began to fall into the shadows. I asked myself, "Why aren't people friendlier? Why are there gaps between our hearts?" I was consoled by the fact that I knew a small group of human beings who continue to donate their time to change what can be an unfeeling world.
I played basketball a few days after those thoughts had been going through my head, and in fighting for the ball I fell when I lost my balance, and my right ankle was badly sprained. I screamed and rolled over toward the sidelines. When I finally got up, I wasn't able to put my right foot down. I had to hop on the left one.
At the hospital - while sitting on a chair in the crowded waiting room - the most pain I felt wasn't in my ankle; it was in my heart. I could see through the window the darkness outside, there was a textbook in my hand for tomorrow's class, but not one of the people who call me their friend was there. It was depressing to think that all of them could be so blind to my need for companionship right then.
I was surprised a few days later to discover the experience had helped me become more mature. It came to me that I never really wanted to get angry with anyone; I wanted to live a life in which my soul would always be at peace. I'd just make a practice of staying calm - even when problems arise, and I knew that I'd continue volunteer work as I'd learned once more that the old axiom is true: "It is more blessed to give than to receive".