My actions to help or be useful to people have backfired-in fact, caused more stress for me and others! Does “be useful” also mean staying out if that means being useful? Or not do what “I ” think or believe is useful for them? I realised that I misinterpreted people’s complaints or frustrations as a need for help or a search for some solution. But it turns out they only needed attention because they never used the help to resolve it, making it essentially a waste of time and energy for everyone involved. So how do I know what is useful for others?
Being helpful to others means to help people in their need. An unasked help often works like an unsolicited advice.
Besides, being useful does not necessarily mean something that others can necessarily see or recognize. It means acts done selflessly for the greater good of humanity. For example, a group of volunteers has taken upon themselves to clean the Pondicherry beach every Sunday. Most people do not know about them, but they are benefitted nevertheless. Usefulness does not mean that others will recognize it. They may or may not. Or they may even criticise it. The whole idea behind this advice of the Mother is to teach us to be a little more wide and a little more impersonal. Even a good work done for people’s appreciation and approval loses its spiritual value.
Hope it is clear now.
Affectionately,
Alok da
