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When the world economy went on a crunch, surprisingly its reflected in my life too.
For over a month, I had no money of my own. The worst economic crunch that had hit me. Every single day was a walk of faith. No paani puri, not even coffee, because you would be functioning on borrowed money. There would be not single currency note in my wallet. The function of the wallet was redefined to be a holder of identity cards, a bus pass and and ATM card with no money in the account, besides the driving license which was grossly obese compared to its wallet mates.
I would walk praying to God asking if it was a punishment. I would pray for money to land from somewhere. Sometimes, he budged. But after that grace period, I slumped backed in to economic depression.
I stopped the occassional Guava outside the college though I would be hungry. I would not have a coffee in between the long boring hours of 'Assessment', because 4 bucks began to feel like luxuory.
Friends? Yes, Chinpol, was my lender but there was a limit to which I would ask her, and she is the only one I am comfortable to ask. Earlier it was my true friend Swati who's pursuing her management studies in an old Portuguese colony. She's not around. The point is that I don't like being in debt. But when it comes to photocopying notes and whole text books, which would cost a bomb in in actually buying the original book, money was needed and that's when I would turn to Chinpol. She would never act weird.
Yes, I have a huge discomfort when it comes to asking for money. Only because I don't want to be begging people.
And the last thing I want to hear at that moment would be: "You want cash? I'll give you. "
No thanks.
I haven't reached that stage yet. I will let you know when I start begging.
And these thoughts would sometimes invade my mind like the whites who invaded native Indian settlements in America. It would end up in a battle. These battles would be in the mind, while I'm in the class, or on my walks back home from the bus, or when somebody presses the wrong button during a conversation.
I don't want to go through this again. It is a painful. To me it is shameful.
And I don't like hidden favours. I hate them and they make me feel even more undignified and like a refugee in a foreign land.
Not to bad mouth my parents. There is a limit to which they can send every month. And when that is over and there are more legitimate and mostly unforeseen circumstances, this is the story. I don't want to tell them. Even if I did, I'll feel bad. Not like there was much to send. Just for the basic needs. Thank you, you guys. And I hate some aunties who press money into your hands when no one is looking, making me feel like dignified charity acceptance.
How many more of these lessons are left to learn in life?
I'd rather live them than read about them.
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For over a month, I had no money of my own. The worst economic crunch that had hit me. Every single day was a walk of faith. No paani puri, not even coffee, because you would be functioning on borrowed money. There would be not single currency note in my wallet. The function of the wallet was redefined to be a holder of identity cards, a bus pass and and ATM card with no money in the account, besides the driving license which was grossly obese compared to its wallet mates.
I would walk praying to God asking if it was a punishment. I would pray for money to land from somewhere. Sometimes, he budged. But after that grace period, I slumped backed in to economic depression.
I stopped the occassional Guava outside the college though I would be hungry. I would not have a coffee in between the long boring hours of 'Assessment', because 4 bucks began to feel like luxuory.
Friends? Yes, Chinpol, was my lender but there was a limit to which I would ask her, and she is the only one I am comfortable to ask. Earlier it was my true friend Swati who's pursuing her management studies in an old Portuguese colony. She's not around. The point is that I don't like being in debt. But when it comes to photocopying notes and whole text books, which would cost a bomb in in actually buying the original book, money was needed and that's when I would turn to Chinpol. She would never act weird.
Yes, I have a huge discomfort when it comes to asking for money. Only because I don't want to be begging people.
And the last thing I want to hear at that moment would be: "You want cash? I'll give you. "
No thanks.
I haven't reached that stage yet. I will let you know when I start begging.
And these thoughts would sometimes invade my mind like the whites who invaded native Indian settlements in America. It would end up in a battle. These battles would be in the mind, while I'm in the class, or on my walks back home from the bus, or when somebody presses the wrong button during a conversation.
I don't want to go through this again. It is a painful. To me it is shameful.
And I don't like hidden favours. I hate them and they make me feel even more undignified and like a refugee in a foreign land.
Not to bad mouth my parents. There is a limit to which they can send every month. And when that is over and there are more legitimate and mostly unforeseen circumstances, this is the story. I don't want to tell them. Even if I did, I'll feel bad. Not like there was much to send. Just for the basic needs. Thank you, you guys. And I hate some aunties who press money into your hands when no one is looking, making me feel like dignified charity acceptance.
The things I learnt from the economic crunch are many:
1. Money plays quite a big role in my life. I'm surprised at how much I let that control me.
I learnt to keep money from going beyond the place it deserves in my life.
2. When you have absolutely no money, this time, and when you pray is when you don't get any diseases which would entail huge hospital bills; you don't meet with accidents; you don't have to pay for a burnt house or buy new clothes due to some disaster.
You just learn to live on faith and be happy with what you have.
3. Count your blessings. I am way better off than the children on the streets with food to eat and food available three times a day. What if I can't have a coffee? I have lunch packet, which most of them don't have. Now that's luxuorious. I'm feeling guilty already.
4. There are somethings in life you just can't tell people about, however close you are. It could be money or any such thing. I didn't feel like telling anyone except my brother (who shares the crunch with me) and God, that time. Now I'm out of it and that I have changed my perspectives, I can tell anyone.
It was hell of an experience. Literally.
5. You could have loads of books, a CD player, good shoes, plenty of clothes, three times food a day, great friends, close family, musical abilities, and still not have a single penny in your pocket, for weeks on end. Nobody will ever come to know.
I'm glad that no one did at that time, because I just didn't want to.
6. I've learn that the few coins one spends on stuff on the road once in a while can be a big amount at the end of the month.
7. Trust God. What he teaches you through experience is never learn by speaking, hearing, reading.
It's learnt only through living. He cares, He provides, He protects.
8. You cannot live without the help of others no matter how independent you want to be.
1. Money plays quite a big role in my life. I'm surprised at how much I let that control me.
I learnt to keep money from going beyond the place it deserves in my life.
2. When you have absolutely no money, this time, and when you pray is when you don't get any diseases which would entail huge hospital bills; you don't meet with accidents; you don't have to pay for a burnt house or buy new clothes due to some disaster.
You just learn to live on faith and be happy with what you have.
3. Count your blessings. I am way better off than the children on the streets with food to eat and food available three times a day. What if I can't have a coffee? I have lunch packet, which most of them don't have. Now that's luxuorious. I'm feeling guilty already.
4. There are somethings in life you just can't tell people about, however close you are. It could be money or any such thing. I didn't feel like telling anyone except my brother (who shares the crunch with me) and God, that time. Now I'm out of it and that I have changed my perspectives, I can tell anyone.
It was hell of an experience. Literally.
5. You could have loads of books, a CD player, good shoes, plenty of clothes, three times food a day, great friends, close family, musical abilities, and still not have a single penny in your pocket, for weeks on end. Nobody will ever come to know.
I'm glad that no one did at that time, because I just didn't want to.
6. I've learn that the few coins one spends on stuff on the road once in a while can be a big amount at the end of the month.
7. Trust God. What he teaches you through experience is never learn by speaking, hearing, reading.
It's learnt only through living. He cares, He provides, He protects.
8. You cannot live without the help of others no matter how independent you want to be.
How many more of these lessons are left to learn in life?
I'd rather live them than read about them.
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Pic courtesy :
1. http://www.onelostcoin.org/coinimg/coin2.jpg
2. http://www.freefoto.com/images/04/28/04_28_22---One-Penny-Coin_web.jpg
1. http://www.onelostcoin.org/coinimg/coin2.jpg
2. http://www.freefoto.com/images/04/28/04_28_22---One-Penny-Coin_web.jpg
1 comment:
*glances dreamily into the horizon*
Wow....
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