Tag Archives: selfishness

The Importance of Money

October 16, 2016 Ramu Das 3 Comments

Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness (and that money is not everything) should have added, be that as it may, money can surely reduce sadness, money can help make friends, money can keep all kinds of relationships strong, can help buy you those delicious food that you desire, will make people look upon you with reverence, make you a role model (no matter you deserve to be one or not), can give you confidence, can make you feel secure, and money can do so much more. Now, then, would you say money is not important?

It is strange how people give lame excuses when they can’t directly deny you the moment you want to borrow some money. But the strangest of all is when your very near and dear ones (the ones you thought you could depend on), for whom you sacrifice everything, to whom you give your all, seem to maintain a distance from you when you are in need. On the one hand human kind is the embodiment of hope, love and care, but on the other hand we are selfish, ruthless, vainglorious.

To save embarrassments in life, to prevent depression from ruling your life (thereby ruining your life), you should – no, not just should, but you must – make yourself so strong, so capable that you need not ever depend on any one. But what happens when you have too much money? Should you cling on to your money for ever? It is indeed very difficult to part with one’s hard earned money. Not everyone would understand, but the earner of money knows that very well.

The main question that should concern you, however, is when someone’s whole world is crumbling down and they can’t do anything about it, will it be worthy of you to be like those heartless materialist who turn away from helping others? Would you also let others feel what you once felt the moment someone said no to you when you were in need? From your experience you know how much it breaks your heart to find none helping you, therefore, can the knowledge of that prompt you to help the needy as much as you can? You know you have two square meals a day, but there are people who can’t afford a single meal a day; they eat something light once in two days or maybe three days. You might ask ‘Why don’t they work?’ Well, you know, if a skilled person is out of job most of the times, how is an uneducated, unskilled (some disabled) person supposed to get a job.

So, here comes your money. Money can help you help others. Money can open new avenues and empower people to do their best, to see the brighter side of life. Money is, therefore, important. And whoever say money can’t give you happiness, that money is not important, ask them very gently to just go to hell!

VIEWS AND OPINIONS

Abandoned

June 7, 2015 Ramu Das 2 Comments

Imagine this picture: two boys in the compartment of a train, one older and taller than the other, both skeleton-like, two bowls in small hands, no shirts on, torn half-pants, broom attached on a thread in the waist which (that is, the broom) they use for swiping the floor of the train. They are begging for money and food. Look at their eyes and you will see no glint of hope in them, not for survival. Yet they are living… with no hope.

At the most he could be six years old, and his brother, whom he carried clasping in his arms, could not be more than three years. Their very sight evoked pity, but many a man and woman, rich and handsome and beautiful, upon casting the first glance at the two boys, turned their eyes and heads in disgust. “Oh, poor creatures,” a woman sighed but not so much as part with a rupee. “Come, come,” her husband called her, “come and sit in the seat when it is empty and leave the poor creatures to their fate.”

What one could not see, however, was the love the older brother shared for his younger one. What obligation had the older one to carry the younger one and look after? He was the older brother, of course, and he knew he was responsible for his younger brother, he knew he had a moral duty here. Is it not wonderful how a six-year-old boy could so well understand his responsibility, while his parents, whoever they maybe, living or dead, have abandoned, even society, that crazy breed, seems merciless.

No doubt, a few good Samaritans are doing whatever they can to help such unfortunate children live good/better lives, but the larger proportion of the society is fine with the tag “human being” and not “being human”.

VIEWS AND OPINIONS

Being Generous

October 31, 2013 Ramu Das 2 Comments

Without giving it would be absolutely foolish to expect. Without giving it is hard to make friends. When you give you increase your value, at least to the taker’s eyes, and they respect you. You are esteemed, and you feel good about it and try to be more generous.

We don’t find many givers, but look and you will find multitudes of takers everywhere. You just have to be ready to give and you will have a taker, and one more, and more. Some takers would possibly take away whatever they can even from a blind beggar if they get the chance; such is the urge of takers.

Disappointment comes when you give and give and lose count of the number of times you give, but never ever get anything back. I like to give. If I’m capable of giving – be it book, be it money, and whatever – I just give. Now, it may sound as if I’m bragging for being generous, (it does, ha!) but I’m merely saying what I really do.

Once, after my shift in the office, I went out with a Senior Team Leader of our organization. He said he would drop me home in his car. His car was parked in a public area and he had to pay for it. He asked me to pay it. Without thinking twice I did it. Then he wanted to booze; he asked me if I wanted to drink. At first, I declined to drink, but I raised no objection if he drank. Nevertheless, he insisted on and on, that I should drink. Giving up, “Mild beer,” I said finally.

So we drank. I had only one beer, and he gulped down glasses after glasses of all the drinks he could name. And he could name a lot of them, mind you. When the waiter arrived with the bill, the Team Leader directed the waiter’s attention to my side and excused himself saying, “My bladder is going to burst, I wonder where the washroom is!”

Ha! That was funny, wasn’t that? I didn’t mind that a bit. But what disappointed me was when we met in the office the next day and he exclaimed he would return the amount I paid the other day. The amount I paid wasn’t small; small it maybe for him, but for me it was not. It has been 4 months and he is still returning the amount!

It has happened with me: people ask me for something; and I think I’m obligated to them. I move heaven and earth just to give them what they ask for. But, unlike some of my friends, I return what I take. Yes, I, the fool, return. This is not something to be proud of, but a conduct from which I cannot turn my head away.

The takers might be right in not giving what belongs to you from their perspective. Perhaps they think they become the rightful owner of the property, your property that is, once they get hold of it and the thought of returning it never strikes them; or, the thought may strike, but they just want to ignore all such thoughts.

Generosity, surely, is a very good quality, but always giving and never receiving anything in return is sheer stupidity. I say getting anything in return in the sense getting your own stuff back, as well as something that other ought to give you instead of just taking from you. But, without being asked one would hardly give you anything. How long can you let others take advantage of you? When the takers cross all their limits it is better to distance yourself from such a person/friend, takers that is.

We should never hesitate to give away whatever we can to those who cannot afford a single meal a day, and when we do give to such a person we should not expect something in return. So, mind whom you give and whom you should give. I would write more on this in the next post.