User:Mangala Devi Sewa Sansthan

A man lives for himself. He thinks and acts to make his own self secure, comfortable and happy. His natural instinct of self-preservation makes him behavior this way. But he becomes truly human only when he tries to make others secure, comfortable and happy. To go beyond one’s own self and serve others is social service. Such statements as“To serve humanity is to serve God” and “Service before Self”, bring out the importance of social service.

Social service is a duty. From birth to death, individual man goes on receiving things from society. He is indebt to society. it is clearly his duty to try to pay up this debt, to return what he had received of course, the debt is so heavy that it can never be fully paid up. Social service is a way of giving back to society a tiny portion of what one has taken from it. The world is full of poverty, disease, and suffering. There are opportunities for social service everywhere. To raise a fallen man is a social service, to help an old lady out of a bus is social service to take a blind man across a road is social service. Such acts put sunshine into a dark life.

There are many inspiring examples of social and humanitarian service. Florence Nightingale, the Lady of the Lamp, gave a new turn to nursing by her selfless service to the sick and dying. Madam Curie dedicated by her life to the task of making science serves mankind. Damien died a leper in the service of lepers. Albert Schweitzer gave up a bright career and spent his whole-life serving the ailing in French Equatorial Africa. Jean Henri founded the Red Cross organization but died a poor man. Baden Powell, though dead, is still serving the world, through the Boys Scout Movement. Even our self-interest should make us serve others. For we rise or fall with our society Individual happiness depends upon social happiness. If everyone tries to make everyone else happy, everyone will find himself made happy. If we all stop throwing banana skins on roads, no one will break his bones thr`ot1gh a banana-skin.

Finally, social service is a great educational discipline. It lifts us out of our petty selves. It elevates our minds, hearts and spirit. It is spiritual training. It makes our lives richer and fuller. It gives us profound spiritual satisfaction and makes-us really and truly-happy. There is no greater happiness than the happiness that comes to us through the happiness of others.