What’s the value of one rupee? For most of us it doesn’t hold much of a value or the value of one rupee is often subjective to oneself. We often don’t care much on losing a one rupee coin to a waiter in a restaurant or a beggar on the streets but when the same one rupee doesn’t come back to us from the bus conductor or that auto driver who pretends to not having any change, it does make us ponder over it for a while. At least in my case I do. I don’t know about others but I stress on getting my share of change back in the buses and autos. It’s not that I am very concerned about the change and can’t take the pain of separation from my one rupee but it is these ‘cheap tricks’ often played by the auto drivers and conductors to extract a little extra cash from us taking advantage of your helpless and changeless situation is what I dislike. Most of the times you are left with no other option but to let your one rupee (or the change) go. Actually it is not about having not received your share of money back that matters, it is the wrong attitude which is being shown at you by the other person even when you know very well, and so does the other person, that what you are claiming for is the very right of yours.
Whether you travel in buses and autos like me or drive in bikes or cars. This is something we all come across. May be from different people and as different incidents. Losing money to someone or something is not a big deal. You don’t have to be rich either. For what are you losing it and for whom, is what matters the most. It’s not about stinginess too. It is about spending money at the right place and at the right person who deserves it.
Money doesn’t hold any value in itself. The value lies in the matter it is subjected to. Losing a small amount on something worthless brings regret while losing money on something or someone worth brings contentment. Because when you lose your money, however small or big it is, to someone who shows the gratitude and values your care, the losing turns out into a rewarding experience. But those who don’t show any gratitude towards your money or you, they don’t hold any right to own your money either. An experience you often had to repent for.
Just a sincere apology and some softly spoken words are enough to make the other person understand that your intentions are true but just the circumstances are not letting you follow your mind. Yet people often forget to show this small gesture of gratitude and then curse you for nagging about your money. What they fail to understand is that when true and kind words are spoken from the heart, they are bound to make the other heart reciprocate the same. And certainly it does. But an egoistic mind often overshadows the compassion and care hidden inside the heart rooting rigidness leading to broken chords.
Today, like most of my days, the auto driver whose auto I got into didn’t have any change. But this time I let my money go. Looking at his sincere struggle to give me back my well-deserved share of change made me change my mind and yes the mindset too. Though the words were the same, the intention differed.
“Sorry I don’t have any change”, He told.
He was enquiring with his fellow auto drivers in the stand for change and was searching hard to get some chillers left hidden inside his trouser pockets to give me back the change.
When he tried hard and still could not find any change, he asked me,
“Do you have change?”
I searched inside my purse.
“No”, I replied.
With disappointment on his face, he said, “Ok take it from me tomorrow”.
I smiled and told him, “It’s ok, you can keep the change”.
“No take it from me tomorrow”, he replied.
I smiled again at this old man with grey hairs one last time and left the place to catch my bus. I know tomorrow I will get into some other auto and perhaps will never meet him again. All I know is that he was not lying and he genuinely wanted to return me the change but could not do so. And it is this sincere effort by him that made me happy for having not received the change back. Sometimes losing helps you gain happiness!:)
