You can find Previous Year Reflective Essay Topics asked in ICSE board exams.
Reflective Essay Topic – God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
Introduction: Importance of self help
- Inspiring life stories of great men
- Fortune favours the brave
- Importance of Karma in the Hindu mythology
Conclusion: Need to strive for our betterment
“God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest,” said J G Holland. God indeed has provided everything in the universe for our life and comfort. One has only to reach out and enjoy the splendor so abundantly bestowed for us.
There is an old fable of a carter whose wagon got stuck in the mud, Bewildered he prayed to ‘Hercules’ the God of strength to get it out for him. Hercules answered his prayer saying, “Put your shoulder to the wheel man.” The carter took his advice and the wagon was out of the mud. This simple old fable portrays the value of self-help.
There are many inspiring stories of great men born in extreme poverty, but by hard work and sincerity they rose to the highest positions in their country. Names like Abraham Lincoln and Lai Bahadur Shastri are illustrious examples of what can be achieved by self-help. Abraham Lincoln began his life as a woodcutter, while Shastri was a schoolteacher. They rose to become the President and the Prime Minister of their respective countries.
We are also privy to real life ‘rags to riches’ stories of many great industrialists. They started from scratch and in course of time became wealthy, creating great industrial empires. Few examples being Swaraj Paul and our own Dirubhai Ambani of the Caparo and Reliance Industries fame.
While Swaraj Paul came as a refugee from Pakistan, Dimbhai a small trader of Gujarat, challenged the multinationals and founded the largest private sector company in the country. They achieved such phenomenal success because of hard work, perseverance and enterprise. They are living examples of the adage ‘Fortune favours the brave.’
According to the Hindu mythology, Karma or deed is of supreme importance and is the purpose of life. Lord Krishna in the the Bhagwad Gita, extolling the virtue of ‘Karma’ inspired Arjun, to fight for his right, for that was his Karma as a Kshatriya. According to the Gita one should continue to do karma (duty) and not wait for reward, for it is bound to follow sooner or later.
Undoubtedly ‘God helps those who help themselves’, for one achieves nothing without effort. We must therefore strive for our own betterment.
Assignments
- Self Help. “No gain, no pain, no thorn, no throne. No gall, no glory, no cross no crown.”
- “Fortune favours the brave” Discuss.