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Helping Your Friends In Need: The Best Feeling You Could Ever Get

There were four friends living in the city of Mumbai. Their names were Rajesh, Pawan, Joseph and Kiran. They were all very good friends and studied in the same school in Standard VIII. Pawan’s parents were working in a small shop and were not as rich his as the parents of his other three friends.

One summer vacation the school organized a 7 day picnic to tour North India. Students who wanted to go on the picnic were asked to contribute Rs. 5000 each in the next 7 days. All the students were very happy that they will get to visit North India and see beautiful places like Simla, Kulu, Manali and scenic places in Kashmir. They just could not wait to start the vacation and go on the picnic.

Students started bringing in the money after talking to their parents. Some parents did not allow their children to go for the picnic because they had already planned to go elsewhere during the summer vacation.

Rajesh, Joseph and Kiran also brought the money and paid the teacher. During lunch they were discussing how much fun they would have during this picnic and started planning their trip. They suddenly noticed how quiet Pawan was. they asked him what the matter was. He said he was not coming for the picnic because he is going out to some other place with his parents. His three friends felt sad – but were not sure if that was the real reason. That evening Joseph went to Pawans house and asked his mother if they were going out during summer. She said they are not going anywhere. Now Joseph undertsood that Pawan had lied to them. He wanted to know why!

Next day in school all three of Pawans friends asked him why he had lied. Pawan was very reluctant, but later told them that he did not think his parents could afford Rs. 5000 for the tour and so he did not even ask them. His friends felt sad – but did not know what to do. They all got together and started thinking ways in which they could come up with the money for Pawan. They all had some savings from the pocket money they got each month. Together they had about Rs. 900. They then asked Pawan, he had Rs. 100. Together they had Rs. 1000. Pawan was very reluctant to take any help of this sort. But then his friends convinced him into taking this money, not as a gift, but as a loan that he can repay later. They knew that Pawan would not take the money just like that.

Now, they still had to come up with another Rs. 4000. That is a huge amount of money for anyone who is a student. They each decided to talk to their parents and ask if they could “lend” some money so Pawan could go for the Picnic. The parents agreed but they told the children that Pawan’s parents will not like it. They asked them to first check with Pawan and his parents.

Later that evening, they went to Pawans house. Pawans father was at work. The spoke to his mother. Pawan was their too. Rajesh said “Auntie, we would love to take Pawan also to the Picnic with us. We have totally collected Rs.1000 from our savings. We have asked our parents to contribute the remaining amount so Pawan can come with us. Please do not be angry, we really want Pawan to come with us”. Hearing this Pawans mother, instead of being angry, felt sad and she had tears in her eyes. She said “I am so glad that Pawan has such lovely friends. I would not like to take the money, but would surely talk to Pawans father in the evening and arrange for the money. I will make sure he joins you for the Picnic, but with our own money. You children have really shown me that Pawan has veery good friends. And i think you for making an effort to keep your friend with you. Go home now, and I will send Pawan to school with the money tomorrow”. Hearing all the 4 buys were very happy. The smiled at each other and jumped in joy!

Later that night Pawan’s mother told her husband what had happened. How Pawans friends were trying very hard to take him on the school picnic. Pawans father was touched. He felt bad that he did not give Pawan the money earlier. It was surely a tough choice, but having heard what his friends were trying for Pawan, he thought Pawan deserves to go for the Picnic, even though he would have to worked much harder next 2-3 months to make up for the Rs. 5000.  He gave Pawan the Rs.5000 to take to school next day.

All his friends and Pawan were so happy they starting jumping and dancing in joy! They then started preparing for the picnic.

Pawan then told his friends: “If it were not for your honest attempt to collect the money, I would not have been able to come to the picnic. I am so lucky that I have such good friends. Thank you God!”

Moral: Helping others when they are in need always makes you happy. Not just you, you will make all around you very happy.