Just this once

Photo: http://www.mofa.go.jp/

For once can we be nice to ourselves? For once can we please ourselves? For once can we do things for ourselves? Just this once not thinking of others! This doing-for-others-and-pleasing-them mentality begins at home. Before a guest is expected, we clean our rooms; wipe cobwebs, shine our window panes and maybe if we have it spray room-sprays.

Then at schools, we whitewash dirty walls, clean smelly toilets, clear up clogged drains and so on. And when important guests visit schools, students are served better meals, library rooms are well arranged, computer labs are replaced with PCs that function, flower gardens are wonderfully weeded, and children’s uniforms are neater and shinier.

Then when an important bureaucrat blesses a village with a visit, a mule track is widened, bridges are revamped, farmers wear cleaner clothes and horses look stronger to carry the important guest.

And there are so many occasions where we do things for others. Let’s not forget the lavish birthday parties, elaborate weddings, annual Chokus, tshechus, archery matches, etc.

Let’s do something for ourselves – with purpose, not just to show off and impress others. I find this nothing far from sycophancy; that endeavor to impress others. And most often, we end up being the losers –the common men with no power bestowed.