To Afford More In Our Lives

A teacher in a government school knew how to engage his students in classroom. He used different practices in teaching and was gradually inculcating a lifelong love for learning among his students.

He once questioned the class to express on Afford and Unaffordable in different perspectives, none could express beyond ‘having enough or the means for, or bear the cost without serious inconvenience’. Disappointed the teacher added, these two words have much more relevance in our daily living than a monetary connect, hence he sent some students to survey more worthy expressions from different minds.

The first input of fresh learning was visiting a mall. Two teenagers were walking with their parents, when they were questioned, the father responded, “It’s not the salary that makes you rich it’s your spending habits. Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you should buy it”. The mother then added you might get 80 years on the planet – don’t spend 60 years paying for a lifestyle impressing others with the unaffordable. Their teenage son then spoke “we relate and appreciate what our parents say as they have worked incredibly hard to afford us an education”.

Standing outside their new chain of restaurant were 3 generation adults, when questioned the grandfather addressing his grandson responded “great minds can afford a simple style and act like you can’t afford the bread until they find out you own the bakery.’

A group of ladies known to each other since their teens would meet fortnightly in a coffee shop. Responding to students questions one of them spontaneously said “one of the blessings of old friends are you can afford to be stupid with them”. Another said being sorry for myself is a luxury I can’t afford. The next girl smilingly said “I can’t afford to hate anyone; I don’t have that kind of time”. The last friend said “kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give”.

A man stepping out of a gym when questioned said “stronger a man more gentle he can afford to be.’ He was moving on his bike but got off only to pick a stone on the road that could have been a problem had he not seen it”. Placing it at a side looked at the students and commented “No one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems”.

Commuters in the suburban train coming from different walks of life contributed well to the survey question. A finance person said “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. It surely tells us what we can’t afford, but it doesn’t keep us from buying it”.

An elderly person spoke the girl child can’t afford not to be educated. Bless you if you have one or else sponsor education of an underprivileged girl child.

Clad in kurta a poet commented his poetry cannot afford to lose its fundamentally self-delighting inventiveness. He also added he can’t afford to have thoughts in his head about himself that God doesn’t have in His.

In conclusion for all minds a quote from Gurbani on what to afford as a way of living… Nanak jis bin gharhee na jeevnaa visray sarai na bind…O Nanak, without Him, you cannot survive, even for an instant; you cannot afford to forget Him, even for a moment. Why are you alienated from Him, O my mind? He takes care of you. SGGSAng1097.