The fine line...

There is always talk of the fine line between 2 conflicting ideas....here is one more of my recent personal experiences:
Give a man a fish and you feed him for 1 day
Teach him fishing and you feed him for a lifetime...
Goes something like that.

I always believed that the 2nd line is true...always...without a doubt, even when I was the one seeking the 'fish'. But of late I have been witness to expectations that have nothing to do with teaching or learning, like all your rantings about teaching falls on deaf ears....it breaks one's heart to tell someone..."go work hard and learn life's lessons...don't expect me to give it to you on a platter", the situation 'appears' to be sad, tragic even and yet there is no effort visible to make life better by working on it, all the effort is concentrated on creating the sympathy. Almost reminds me of the traffic signal begging scenarios...like life's mission...like the right to beg is mine, the duty to give is yours...like a profession, so used to the art, have been doing this for so many years that there doesn't seem to be any self-respect, no ego left...."as long as I get it out of your sympathy I will keep at it, why do I even have to try anything else. You have always been giving, how dare you not give now?". But again, despite it all, how can one be hard hearted to turn away someone in need...do it this last time? will it ever be the last time?