An Atruist's Burden

I am a person who can be termed to be an altruist. I can refuse noone when they ask hard enough. That would make it apt to label me as a pushover. I feel compelled to help out when someone needs my help, even when he/she hasn't asked for it. I do it for its sake. I usually turn down rewards offered to me for services offered. I merely relish the opportunity to help another person in any way that I possibly can, even if I have my hands full. Till a few months ago, I had this feeling in my mind that most of the people would be like me. A sort of a wonderland where co-operation is the defining force of existence.

I have had difficulties when I had to persuade others to help out with my friends' troubles. It may be that I am not a good persuader. I preferred finding solace in that feeling, than to shatter my Utopia. Some days ago, I tried to help out a friend of mine in a matter which was beyond my expertise. I sought out another friend with the required expertise and told him about the scenario. He told me something which has widened my vision considerably. It was a wakeup call of sorts, from the world of my imagination.

The essence of his words was that most people do not really want to waste their times with others' woes, when they had more than enough problems on their own. People like me are misnomers in this world. It was a simple explanation. It was a valid observation.