A lark, says an old fable, built its next on the
ground in a cornfield, and reared its young a midst the growing corn. When the
corn was ripe, the little ones in a great fright told the mother-birth they had
heard the farmer say that he was going to ask his neighbor to come and reap his
corn for him. But the wise bird was not at all disturbed and said. “If that is
all, we need not be in a hurry to go yet. But when soon after they came and
told her that the farmer said that, as the neighbor had not come, he was going
to cut the corn himself, the lark said. “Now it is time for us to go,” and flew
away with the brood. The moral of this story is. “If you want a thing done, do
it yourself.”
This is the lesson of self-reliance, which is the
opposite of dependence on others.
Of course a certain amount of dependence on others
is not only good, but necessary. Children must be dependent on their parents;
and the weak must depend on the strong, and the sick on the well. And in a
sense, all of us, even the most independent and self- reliant, are dependent on
one another. At any rate, in civilized society, it is impossible for anyone to
make all the thinks he needs. No man can produce all the food and clothes he
wants, build his own house, make his own furniture, and all the undress of
useful things he requires every day of his life. He can only produce one or two
things. And must get all the others by exchange or purchase from others, who
are doing the same thing. So in a community every one is dependent on the
service of others, while he himself contributes to the needs of others. But, so
long as we are doing our fair share, we are not dependent; for mutual help and
Co-operation is quite consistent with individual independence and
self-reliance.
The contemptible dependence on others which is the
opposite of self-reliance, is the depending on others for the goods and
services which we could and should provide for ourselves.
This kind of dependence may be due to laziness, or
lack of confidence. Idlers, who shrink from honest work, attach themselves like
parasites to rich and influential people and by flattery and servile adulation
get money and favors from them. Such hangers-on are to be despised. Difference
people, who are afraid to rely on their own opinions and efforts, are’ to be
pitied, and, if possible, taught self-confidence and self-reliance.
True self-reliance means knowledge of one’s own
powers, a reasonable self-confidence, and a determination to be independent and
to stand on one’s own feet. It is well expressed in Longfellow’s “Village
Blacksmith”.
“His brow is wet with honest sweat.
He earns whiter’ err he can.
And looks the whole world in the face.
For he owes not any man.