Help others but do not put a stamp on it

One day a Mahatma went to take bath in a river. The river was quite deep, so while taking bath he slipped and could not come out as he did not know to swim. He was about to drown, a young boy, who knew to swim was passing by, he immediately rushed towards him and rescued him from drowning. The Mahatma then thanked him and said that today you saved my life and I bless you for the same. You have given me new lease of life and I will never forget this in my life. After saying this Mahatma went to a small village.

It was evening time and Mahatma was giving spiritual discourses to his disciples in the village. Many people had gathered there. It was was very crowded. Amidst the crowd the youth who saved the Mahatma's life came in front of him and told him to tell all the people here that I saved your life. The Mahatma smiled and said " Oh! How can I forget you? He called him near him and told all the people gathered over there that this boy has saved my life and I am highly obliged to him for the favour he has done to me. After that the Mahatma went to another village to give lecture, the young boy reached there also and told him to tell everybody the incidence and the favour he has done to you. Now whereever the Mahatma would go the boy would follow him and make him aware of the help he gave him so that the Mahatma would tell his disciples that how important the boy is in his life.

The Mahatma once caught hold of his hand and in front of everybody he said"come with me to the river where you saved me from drowing. I will go in the deep river,either I die or I come out of waves, you please don't help me. You are making a big show of the favours you have done to me. You saved my lives once and how many I had to repeat the same incidence. Please go I don't need any help from you, My Lord will decide to save me or drown me in the river. Who are you to put a stamp on the favours. Had you not known to swim, would you help me."

The young boy kept mum and realized his mistake. Aren't we like the young boy, always repeating and making others feel that we are very important in their life.
All the qua;ities we have are bestowed upon us by the Almighty, we should not bring our ego in between. We always wait for appreciation from others for the help or favours done to them. We never realise that sometimes it may be irritating for them to repeat the help we have given them.