Money

Money cannot buy everything, we all are familiar with the story from Greek mythology, about the King Midas, whose greed for wealth was such that when asked to make a wish, he asked for a wish that everything he touches should turn to gold. He was granted his wish and to his dismay everything he touched, food, water and also his daughter Marigold who was very dear to him, turned to gold. He realized that he had brought a curse upon himself and realizes that gold and money are not everything. He prayed for the reversal of his boon and was a changed man for the rest of his life.

There are greedy men like Midas, at all times, in businessmen and politicians who amass wealth and money out of proportion by any means and also dubious means. Their greed is unsatiable. The difference between them and Midas is that what they touch does not turn literally into gold. Sadly, they always remain poor because it is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves for more is poor. (Seneca)

There are others who don’t just make money, but also make a difference. The Tata’s and the Birla’s and many other business houses who lawfully and ethically make money and also give back to the society, in various forms of charity like construction of schools, Hospitals, old age homes and orphanages. Their commitment to their social responsibility is well known and legendary. As Mahatma Gandhi himself said, capital as such is not evil. It is its wrong use that is evil. Capital in some form or the other will always be needed.

There are yet few others in whose life money seems to have no role and having come up the hard way in life they take up serving humanity as their life’s mission. Money is of least importance in their life. We have read and heard about Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our Late Prime Ministers, coming from humble background, had to struggle to come up in life. They lead a simple life even after they attained power. We have Late President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent times for whom earning or amassing money is nowhere in the picture. They all have risen above money.

Money can get many things and the whole world revolves round money. They say that, if you are rich you can sing, you can dance, and you look beautiful too. So, there is nothing wrong in making money as long as it is by fair means and hard-earned money should be spent judiciously and saved carefully. In all this, if one includes some charity then we would have served the purpose of our lives.