He was wondering what to do. The friend he had made online was sending messages that hinted he wanted financial help. A few weeks ago, he would not even have paused to think about whether to help or not. However, times had changed. The world was experiencing a huge crisis and there was no turning back. The period of denial had already caused much damage to the nations which had not taken heed.
He sighed and turned away from the message box which was now full of unread messages. The person whom he had helped earlier was trying to weave a story that he knew was meant to milk him. He switched off the device and sat in thought.
The television news was blaring from the other room. Like others, he too was working from home. The newsreader reported stories of the health workers and the police force working relentlessly to ensure that everyone was safe.
Suddenly, he knew how to help. He got up with a smile and walked towards the kitchen and whispered something to his wife. She smiled and together they both started cooking food. After an hour or so, it was all cooked.
He called upon his children and they all packed the food in packets. The packs were divided such that each person would get a bowl of rice, a curry, and papad along with a small cup of curd and a piece of fruit along with a small bottle of water.
The packets were then packed in cardboard boxes and placed in the van. He then went to the point where the policemen were standing and approached them and asked if he could hand them food packets and to his surprise, they agreed. He also told them that he was very careful in preparing the food and they need not fear. They smiled and told him that they knew where he lived and that his grandma had given food to their parents when they were new to the place. He was moved and gave them the food and moved on.
The food was soon distributed to the people who were daily wage laborers, their families, and the local clinic where there were a few doctors and nurses.
He returned happily to his home and ate lunch.
This was a story written to remind ourselves that it is time to start thinking about helping those who really need help. It is not enough to just donate money to someone across continents. It is time to open our eyes and observe those around us and help them and make sure they do not go hungry to bed.
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©sayee