Should I Give Up!
A lot is happening in life. New Responsibilities. People accept you. Some people reject you. Work keeps piling up. Relationships come to an end. The circle of friends grows smaller. The future feels uncertain, and survival and adaptability seem more relevant than ideals and aspirations.
And, to be honest, I am tired!
There are days when loneliness prevails. The people you expected to be there are busy with their own journeys, struggles, and responsibilities. Slowly, you begin to realize that life does not always provide the support you hope for. No one can carry your burdens, make your decisions, or walk your path for you.
In the end, you have to take care of yourself. You have to find your own strength when motivation fades. You have to keep moving when the road ahead is unclear. You have to learn to stand even when there is no one standing beside you. Perhaps that is what tires me the most. Not the work itself, but the constant need to adapt, endure, and continue.
In the midst of all this, I often find myself asking: How much energy should I devote to issues beyond my immediate concerns? Why worry about environmental responsibility, beaches or plastic waste when there are so many personal challenges demanding attention?
At such moments, it feels easier to let go. It is from this space that a question arises in my mind: Should I give up?
And it’s been more than a month since I last went to clean the beaches. Sometimes I feel that my contribution is too small to make any real difference. The question arises not because I no longer care, but because I care deeply. When we invest our time, energy, and emotions into a cause, we naturally hope to see visible results. Yet there are moments when the problem appears so large that our efforts seem insignificant.
This reflection continues the journey that began in my earlier article, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, where I shared my experiences of beach cleaning and reflected on our collective responsibility towards the environment. If you haven’t read it yet, you may find it here:
I still remember the day when I went for a social internship in a village near Jamshedpur in 2016. The village faced several cleanliness challenges. Waste had accumulated in many areas, and maintaining sanitation was a constant concern for the community.
A few of us decided to take action. Armed with simple tools and a willingness to serve, we spent hours cleaning different parts of the village. We removed waste, cleared neglected areas, and tried to make the surroundings healthier and more pleasant. It was physically demanding work, and at times it felt as though our efforts were insignificant compared to the scale of the problem. But ‘we’ finally did ‘it’.
What touched me deeply was the enthusiasm of the students and children. They did not merely participate, instead many of them became more active than we were. They took ownership of the initiative, encouraged others to join, and began to see cleanliness as their own responsibility rather than the responsibility of an outside group.
But in many urban places, it is surprisingly difficult to convince ‘highly educated individuals’ not to litter, not to damage public spaces, or to take responsibility for their surroundings. Degrees and qualifications may provide knowledge, but they do not automatically cultivate awareness, responsibility, or respect for the community or environment.
Get Yogacharya Nilachal’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
This is one side of the problem. The other side is more painful. I struggle to see a lasting solution to this environmental problem. Much of the plastic that is discarded today cannot simply disappear. When we collect it from the beaches, the beach becomes cleaner, but the waste itself continues to exist. It is transported to a dump yard, a landfill, or another waste-processing facility. In many ways, we are merely shifting the waste from one place to another rather than eliminating the problem at its source. I am unable to find a proper solution. And that is when the question returns: Should I give up?
We cannot force people to care. Some will understand the importance of protecting nature, while others may not. I have gradually stopped expecting everyone to share the same concern. Instead, I have chosen to focus on what is within my capacity. I may not be able to change the world, but I can contribute in my own small way.
So, should I give up?
The answer is No.
I need to try once again. Not because I want to change society. Not because I want to create awareness. Not because I want others to join me. Not because I want recognition or appreciation.
I need to continue because it is the right thing to do.
A mother does not take care of her child because she expects applause. She does not calculate the impact of every act of care. She nurtures, protects, and serves simply because the child is her own. There is love, but there is no expectation. There is care, but there is no demand for recognition. Perhaps my relationship with nature should be similar.
The beaches, the rivers, the trees, the animals, and the earth are not separate from me. They are part of the larger family to which I belong. If a place is polluted and I have the ability to help, then helping is natural. The action does not require a guarantee of success. It does not require that others understand or participate.
It simply requires sincerity.
Will beach cleaning solve the environmental crisis? Probably not.
Will my individual efforts transform society? Most likely not.
But that is no longer the point.
The real question is not whether my actions will change the world. The real question is whether I will continue to act according to my values despite uncertainty, disappointment, and limited results. I may not have all the answers. I may not have a permanent solution. I may grow tired, discouraged, or even stop for a while.
But I will begin again. Not because I am certain of success.
But because it is the right thing to do!
