Recently there was a show on tv about people who have fallen from the financially good times they had to poverty. I was reminded of the days of my financial struggles and a valuable advice from my father at that time.
Till the time I got married I was blissfully unaware of any financial problems my parents had and though I was not demanding, I always got what I wanted and was a very happy teenager. After completing my studies, I worked for few years and never thought I lacked anything. But when I got married I was just into my 20s, had resigned my job and was innocent enough to think that life would be the same. Within days I realized that life is not a bed of roses and suddenly , I had to manage all the chores, buy groceries, vegetables , milk and manage my travel expenses too with the amount my husband earned. The salary he brought home was just enough for the two of us and any extra expenditure like travelling or medical expenses were creating a hole in our budget. I then realised the value my mother's frugal savings had on our family when my father was jobless for few years and we were four school going children in the family and our parents were also supporting few other cousins who had come down from villages and stayed with us for their education.
I , on the other hand, found it difficult managing the household for just the two of us despite a steady income. The situation only became worse with the addition of children and steady visitors. My father, who rarely visited me, was at my place at a time when I was totally frustrated with the financial situation. I was tempted to ask him how he managed when he was jobless. His words were valuable. He said financial difficulty is the least of the problem one can face in life. Life is difficult if one has to face physical abuse or mental torture , but not a financially difficult phase. He said , even the richest in the world, or the greatest businessmen like Tata or Birla have their financial problems. It could be about generating finance for their next venture or facing a loss in the earlier venture. it is only the magnitude which varies, and no one is spared of the financially difficult phases. Its the attitude you have towards the material assets that will carry you forward and tide over the worst financial situation.
With that gem of an advice from my father, I now know that I am blessed in more than one way in having a loving family and not facing physical or mental torture and having less of materialistic aspirations.
Till the time I got married I was blissfully unaware of any financial problems my parents had and though I was not demanding, I always got what I wanted and was a very happy teenager. After completing my studies, I worked for few years and never thought I lacked anything. But when I got married I was just into my 20s, had resigned my job and was innocent enough to think that life would be the same. Within days I realized that life is not a bed of roses and suddenly , I had to manage all the chores, buy groceries, vegetables , milk and manage my travel expenses too with the amount my husband earned. The salary he brought home was just enough for the two of us and any extra expenditure like travelling or medical expenses were creating a hole in our budget. I then realised the value my mother's frugal savings had on our family when my father was jobless for few years and we were four school going children in the family and our parents were also supporting few other cousins who had come down from villages and stayed with us for their education.
I , on the other hand, found it difficult managing the household for just the two of us despite a steady income. The situation only became worse with the addition of children and steady visitors. My father, who rarely visited me, was at my place at a time when I was totally frustrated with the financial situation. I was tempted to ask him how he managed when he was jobless. His words were valuable. He said financial difficulty is the least of the problem one can face in life. Life is difficult if one has to face physical abuse or mental torture , but not a financially difficult phase. He said , even the richest in the world, or the greatest businessmen like Tata or Birla have their financial problems. It could be about generating finance for their next venture or facing a loss in the earlier venture. it is only the magnitude which varies, and no one is spared of the financially difficult phases. Its the attitude you have towards the material assets that will carry you forward and tide over the worst financial situation.
With that gem of an advice from my father, I now know that I am blessed in more than one way in having a loving family and not facing physical or mental torture and having less of materialistic aspirations.
