The ship needs water to move. Compared to the mass of water it can travel and conquer, the size of the ship is very tiny.
Yet, all the water in the biggest of the oceans cannot drown the ship, unless water enters that ship. The ship is made to master the water, use it to travel and reach its destination and not to drown in it. As long as water does not enter the ship, the ship is safe. When water enters the ship, it becomes dangerous for the ship.
As long as I see money as a means to live comfortably, money is a wonderful instrument. Today, we do need money to live well. The ship needs water to travel. However, if this money becomes my identity? If the surplus of money leads to arrogance and comparative less money leads to low esteem? Then, water has entered the ship. It is dangerous.
The money that brings respect is never respect to the person who HAS the money. It is always respect to the money. If a sculptor’s donkey is carrying an idol of Lord Ganesha, people will bow in front of the donkey. Actually they are bowing to Lord Ganesha. In no ways I am equating money to Lord Ganesha. I am certainly equating our behavior to the behavior of the donkey who starts to believe people are bowing to him! Water (Ego) has entered the ship (donkey). It has become dangerous for the donkey
The politician Hajja Bhaiya was driving in the constituency after the announcement of him becoming the ‘Prisons Minister’. He was notorious. He was one of those who had no love, only contempt for the voters. He used to use people. He had no qualms about it. As he loved power, he loved to dominate people. Suddenly a dog came in front of their vehicle. Thud, a sound was heard as the driver pressed the brakes hard. Hajja Bhaiya’s head collided heavily with the head rest of the front seat and he screamed loudly. People on the road, knowing the cruel nature of Hajja Bhaiya, were scared of the consequences and ran away here and there. The driver profusely begged forgiveness from Hajja Bhaiya. However, Hajja Bhaiya’s mood was good today. Even when he had multiple criminal cases against him, he had been appointed as the ‘Prisons Minister’. Still rubbing his forehead, reading for the tenth time the newspaper report on his appointment, he smiled wide and forgave the driver.
The driver got down to check the damage to the car. He informed Hajja Bhaiya that in the accident, the dog had died. Being in the good mood brought because of his appointment, Hajja Bhaiya told the driver, “Inform the owner of the dog that we are sorry. If they want, we can give a compensation too!” This was totally unexpected. Hajja Bhaiya saying sorry!!! This man had exploited people even when HE was at fault. Today he wanted to say sorry even when he was NOT at fault! And compensate too!!!
The driver was just a little scared that the owner of the dog will beat him up. However, the driver was used to obeying orders. He went inside the tenements to identify the owner of the dog.
It was about 15 minutes and the driver had not returned yet. Now, Hajja Bhaiya was getting impatient. There is a limit to my goodness, he was beginning to think. ‘I will thrash him’, he was beginning to think. And there he saw his driver, fully loaded with garlands, lifted on the shoulders of people, coming towards the car. There was a group of people dancing and celebrating behind him. The driver was looking ill at ease.
He got inside the car and started saying sorry to Hajja Bhiaya. “What happened?” Hajja Bhaiya asked.
With fear the driver answered, “I am sorry sir but I was not even allowed to complete what you had instructed. I am sorry sir. With just one sentence they became so happy, garlanded me, danced with me, lifted me on their shoulders. They created so much noise. I am sorry sir. I attempted to explain but they were not listening at all. I am sorry sir. They just did not allow me to complete. I am truly sorry sir.”
With irritation, busy in chewing his betel leaf, his eyes still in the newspaper, Hajja Bhaiya asked him, “What did you say that made them so happy?”
The driver replied, “I said, I am Hajja Bhaiya’s driver. The dog just died……………..”
Did you understand? Water had certainly entered the ship. It was a question of time before the ship will drown.
Money, power, success, does a lot of great things. However, there is no point in the ship drowning in water. For the ship to serve its purpose, It MUST float ABOVE water.
Let our money, power, success help us to do GREATER things. Let us never drown in them. It will become dangerous for us.
Please ensure, no water enters into your ship.
N. Goidani
No comments:
Post a Comment