At the dawn of humanity there was no money. Life used to begin with the sun-rise and virtually end with the sunset. There was no certainty of tomorrow. Cut to the present time. There
is no certainty of tomorrow, even
now. But now we have money, which seems to assure us that tomorrow
will come.With money our life-styles and thinking have changed. We have learnt to postpone and camouflage our joys. We no longer shop in open markets. We no longer stop at a chalk-painting done by an impoverished artist on the footpath. We no longer lend our ears to a soulful tune played by a loner in the subway. We judge success in life on the scale of money. We choose partners and friends on the parameter of money. We conveniently distance ourselves from those who don’t match our monetary status. How many of us would honour a prior commitment of meeting an old friend with a humble background when suddenly invited by a well known icon at the same time? Families fall apart over money issues. Friendship gets sour when money enters the scene. So is money the root of all evil?
Certainly not! Who does not want money? If someone says he doesn’t, then either he is lying or he hasn’t any. It is unfortunate that money has been blamed for causing so many evils in the world. Money is merely a tool of exchange. When someone has the ability to produce something and another person wishes to have his product, then he exchanges his money with that product thus giving value for value. This is the principle of ‘fair trade’. Further, money has no intrinsic value of its own. Money only carries a notional value given by different governments. This value can change overnight. Recent economic recession has amply demonstrated this fact.It is vital that we clearly understand the right value and limitations of money through the following four fundamental questions:
How much money do we need? Money can only buy the objects of the world. And, we need money to survive and achieve our goals in life. But when we cross the boundary of ‘needs’ and enter the arena of ‘desires’, it becomes a completely different ball-game. Since our desires are unlimited the money that we require will also be unlimited. Hence, there will never be enough money to satisfy all our desires.How must money be earned? Money must be earned through application of honest efforts. It runs away when you chase it. But it comes to you unexpectedly when you are busy delivering your best. Anyone inheriting ancestral money must prove himself to be worthy of owning it. Otherwise, the same money has the power to destroy him. One can never enjoy ill-gotten money. The fact that you compromised with your conscience will always haunt you, no matter how much money you accumulate.
How must money be used? Like water, it spreads life and cheer only when flowing. It stinks when it is locked-up in vaults. No doubt, we enjoy spending it on ourselves. But, when we spend it on others, especially unknown and incognito, our hearts are filled with bliss. A vulgar display of wealth attracts unwanted attention, which ultimately ruins its very existence. Money is best used in realising our own hidden potentials, not in imitating others.Should we keep money for tomorrow? We must inculcate the habit of saving something for a rainy day. But, accumulation of money at the cost of today’s happiness cannot guarantee tomorrow’s happiness. What would we do with the accumulated money when we have lost the ability to contribute and enjoy in the world? But, our ability to produce; our ability to remain useful for the society and our ability to enjoy every moment will guarantee continuation of happiness as long as we live.Someone somewhere will always be ready to reward us for our honest efforts. Most of all, we would sleep every night peacefully. – Khaleejnews
