A Monologue From The Perspective Of Someone Who Always Sacrifices

These souls do not await a summons; they intervene. They do not step up for recognition, but because of necessity calls and silence are not an option. They avoid the public eye and disregard ceremonial formalities. Where others weigh pros and cons, they have already started to act.

They are guided by intuition, honed by compassion and an almost surgical clarity of thought. They see what eludes others—the flailing seam, the unshed tear, the moment tipped out of place. They do not act for recognition; they act because for them not to do so is a betrayal of everything they stand for.

They carry invisible weights with unabashed grace. The weight is heavy; however, it wears a comfortable coat. They keep no count of favours, nor do they catalogue their good deeds. A round of applause holds no meaning for them.

They act when action is needed, providing support in those small actions for everything that would otherwise slip into chaos.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

— Confucius

They take those small stones, each one at a time. Quietly, they go about it. While others think it over, they initiate. While others ponder whether to act, their action puts it through. Grand gestures hardly keep the world together; it is the choices invoked under a breath, the silent sacrifices, and the willingness to give over and above what is reasonable. But they never complain. It is not that they do not feel the weight but rather they understand comfort isn't the point. Comfort is not the way to progress. They understand that what matters, in the end, is a slow-paced determined drive. And there are times when the silence is deafening, the weight too much to bear. They just keep walking till the end... Because someone has to.

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”

— William Faulkner

More times than they can count, they've lost sight of the shore – adrift in the unknown – but push on still, not knowing just how much hinges on their maintaining the course. Neither praise is expected nor sought. In those rare still moments, they wonder if anyone has noticed the fires they've quietly extinguished, the crises that never reached the surface to make themselves known to a single soul.

They have perfected the art of holding sacred space again and again – a container for others' sorrow, fear, and rage. Not because they are unscathed by feeling but because they refuse to pour their pain onto those who are already burdened. They hold great empathic strength – nonperformative, in the sense of promise.

Giving without demand is their trade. To hold unsought. And in so doing, they form the silent scaffolding to shore another from collapse.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

— Desmond Tutu

These tiny actions in the spirit of kindness usher in real transformation: time and again, their presence is felt; they manifest in ways that are invisible to others, constant in ways that no one else can really comprehend. They are not pursuing perfection; they are concerned about presence. Not a perfect world, but rather a world in which every iota of good counts toward the greater good. 

They've sacrificed time, energy, and peace, not out of martyrdom but because they see potential where others may only see adversity. The choice to invest in a good life for tomorrow, even at the cost of comfort today, is their mantra.

There are days when the burden is felt – not in the dramatic way the world would think of it – but in the subtle throbbing ache of giving – always holding, always lifting. And though it is not spoken of, in those quiet moments there is striking clarity about just how high a price one might pay. Yet none of them would have it any other way. They have grown stronger, more resilient, and more competent with every sacrifice.

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”

— Ernest Hemingway

In a sense, they have changed somehow. Stronger, not because of outer triumph, but because of the inner strength developed through giving, supporting, and loving with complete abandon. They no longer seek reassurance for their efforts. They have now learnt that some journeys are best walked without applause. Some burdens are theirs to carry only. 

But the burden and whom it is carried for matter more than recognition.

And if you want to know who keeps the foundation firm against all odds—look for the one who doesn't need the limelight. The one who keeps his head while all around are losing theirs. The one who quietly moves among the chaos, bolstering it and ensuring it does not tear apart.

“To lead people, walk behind them.”

— Lao Tzu

That is how they do it. Not to be noticed, but to secure the way for others to walk. The one who drags his foot from behind is a person who guides, assists, and cheers up those who are about to fall. 

What may or may not make sense about life is a separate issue, but these devoted supporters accept whatever chance brings to them and other people. They don't complain or regret a thing. While many others wait for applause, they are way ahead. They are already moving. Already giving. Already advancing. 

Their meaning is not what they own. Their meaning is what they are about to give off. Their worth is not what they receive. Their worth is measured by what they make possible for others. And so they continue. Quietly, stealthily. They take no need for a grand show of their nobility. Their reasoning is just that for a world so prone to sitting and waiting for someone else to begin, they have already started.

Still carrying the weight. Still walking forward.

—The ones who stay, so others can move.

—And the ones who move, so others can stay.