A young man, while returning home from his office, fell into the hands of a gang of bandits. They whacked him brutally and robbed him. Then they left him on the wayside thinking that he was dead. Eventually, a policeman who came that way, took him to a hospital. Even though his life was saved, his face could not be restored.
His face had been badly disfigured by the violent blows he re-ceived from the bandits. When he looked into a mirror for the first time after the mishap, he screamed out of shock. He could hardly recognize his face. His face, which was once very handsome, is now miserably disfigured. People, who once looked at him in admiration and jealousy, now turned their face against him.
He spent his days in despair. One day, as he was passing in front of a church, he heard a beautiful song. Allured by the song, he entered the church. There he saw a priest. That meeting changed his life forever.
The priest, who felt sorry for him hearing his sad story, tried his best to help him restore his face. He took him to one of the foremost plastic surgeons in the country. The surgery was a great success. The young man got a new face. Later, this young man became a world famous film maker and his name is Mel Gibson.
Perhaps, we may not be able to save or give a new life to everyone in this world. But, can’t we lend a helping hand to those who are near to us and those who approach us? How great will be our satisfaction when we see a smile on their face because of us!
Happiness does not depend on the amount of money we made or the fame we acquired. Our lives become meaningful by the light we shed in the lives of others and the effort we gave to restore their lives.
Just think about the intervention of that priest in the life of Mel Gibson, who could have remained in oblivion with a disfigured face. It was his intervention that made the Mel Gibson we know today. Likewise, there are some people around us extending their hands towards us for help. Can we lend them a helping hand? It has great value. Everybody gets an opportunity to help others. But, it is our response that matters.
Dr Antoney P Joseph
Managing Director
