Goodwill Gestures

Goodwill Gestures

By definition in the Webster dictionary, goodwill is a kindly feeling of support. When a goodwill gesture is made, it is usually done in an attempt to help another person or persons. Not all goodwill gestures are received well or even helpful in the end.

When referring to our text, the goodwill gesture of moving the boy temporarily to the United States in an attempt to better his health. The boy's health did improve but upon returning to his home country he was never able to overcome his belief that only physically being in the United States could make him whole as a person. When the boy became a man with a family of his own he neglected them with his own obsession of America. The people who covered the cost of the boy's medical care, food, and shelter did so out of the kindness of their own hearts. The result of the heartfelt gesture was the hindering of the boy to care for himself in a healthy way.

I can relate to this as when I was newly married with 2 young children, my sister called me explaining that her and my nieces were in danger. I quickly got my sister and her daughters from the danger in New York to my house in Colorado. My families help was given with the understanding that I would support her and the girls until she got on her feet to provide a better life for her family. In the end all that happened was that my sister expected me to financially support her and my nieces even after she married a coworker of mine. To this day my sister is upset that I took my support away and forced her to maintain her own home.

To me it would seem that if a goodwill gesture is given there is a high potential of hindering the receiver from learning to help themselves. I know that every situation is different and needs to be examined individually but the majority of the time goodwill gestures are more crippling then helpful. I more believe in self-help, giving a person or family the proper tools to help themselves out of whatever problem they may be experiencing.