By Dr.Shahid AminTrali
There are many resources that should not be easily wasted by humans. Money is important and life in this world without money is really a tough one. We should never waste our hard earned Money. There are people who are true and always tell us, money doesn’t buy happiness. But that single line alone challenging money doesn’t mean much. What will happen to us when we have no money? When right ways are followed in spending money, we will get back money in a multitude.
Someone has rightly said that money saved is money earned. I have a well-paid job does not mean that I have to be lavish in spending my money. Yes it is true that there are no limits on being contributive to charity works. We need to put ourselves consistently on a testing mode to try our guts and worth. I have a story to narrate how we can conquer the challenges if we are ready both mentally and physically to accept the challenges. Recently I was on a long travel from Kashmir to Gwalior. I was carrying a heavy luggage with as many as six big bags in my possession. I reached to one of the peak railway station at Jammu. With such a big luggage to manage, there was no other option left than to hire a labour. I was looking for a labour but looking into my dire need, the charges demanded by the labour there were unjustified. The challenge was accepted with open arms to manage my luggage on my own.
It was never an easy task for me to manage my heavy luggage and it tested my patience and spirit. First I got my luggage out of a cab hired and kept bags on a road side. Next I picked up three bags and dropped those three bags at the security checking point there at the station. I rushed back and brought three more bags and put it also into the security checking point. Now on getting all of my six heavy bags out of the security checking point there, I started looking for help. I requested few passers-by there but no one was interested to help. Finally the wishes came true and a humble boy passed by and filled me with a hope of being kind. He was going to travel by some coming train. Me said ‘baya help kar do, ye do bag upar platform takpagdo (translation- brother please help in carrying those few bags up to the platform). ‘No issues’, he replied and he was waiting for his more friends to come. He told let his friends come and they will also carry my bags upto the platform.
When his friends came they all carried my bags up to the platform 1. Next they started looking for their train. I also began to look for my train and the announcement was made that my train will depart from platform 2. Oh! Abi sangarshaurbhihain (Translation- Oh! Still I have to pass more tests). I was never defeated and again ready to put my brains into work. I had to make a quick strategy how to manage my six bags next. I began to look for help and requested one hawker at the platform 1 to take care of my three bags and had to drop three more bags at the platform 2. I was to come back to platform 1 and take three more bags to the platform 2. But everywhere be it platform 1 and 2, huge risk was involved as there was was no one confident to take care of my bags. I had to think smartly how to minimise my risk of losing my bags. I had to quickly access which bags were more costly for me which I can keep on the hawker shop at platform 1.There was uncertainty but still I had to be optimistic that someone will be there at platform 2 to take care of my bags. I picked up three bags and rushed to platform two and found one more hawker there. Smartly I asked the hawker about the rates of his items that he had offered for sale. Then I made a strong request to keep my three bags there for a while so that I can get my three more bags from platform one. ‘Aapjaldiaana and we are not responsible if you are late’, he replied (Translation- You can come quick and we are not responsible if you are late). I got my three bags from the platform 1 and reached back to the hawker at platform two. I purchased some small items from him and mentioned thanks to him for his help. Now looking into the large size of the train, I began to look for the exact location of my coach. Again I got to know that my train coach is much ahead of my current waiting point. I kept my three bags there with the hawker on request and went ahead with three more bags. At a fair distance found one military officer and requested to keep my bags there for some time. I had to rush and bring three more bags. Now I felt relaxed that now I am ready to board my train. But the challenges were not going to end soon. I came to know again that my coach will stop at a point ahead. I went there with three bags applying the same strategy and requested one water point owner there to take care of my luggage. Finally the train arrived and with the help of water point owner boarded my train to Gwalior.
I reached to my destination. The great part of the journey was that I managed my heavy luggage without any labour. I received help at many points and no cost was involved. Ah! It was a great feeling to think deep for the day that tested me well. It was a tough time but with energy and presence of mind, I could make it a big day of learning. I felt heavily satisfied and rewarded even if the rewards were too small. I could realise that at every step life teaches us so well. We need to apply ourselves seriously in every situation to make our life more lively and worth living.
It is rightly said that God helps those who help themselves. But we must not rely solely on a divine intervention every time there is some need. It is up to us to take matters in our own hands and try to solve our own challenges. We should never give up easily in life. The supreme force, God, has already gifted us with every means to be able to help ourselves. Once we have a strong faith and begin to apply ourselves to achieve the goals we desperately want, then God will help us further to achieve those goals. We must not forget that no one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
(The author is Assistant Professor, ITM University Gwalior and a regular contributor to this newspaper. E-mail: dr.shahidamin15@gmail.com)
