Water In the Boat

Water In the Boat

When water enters boat and too much money comes into the house, scooping them out with both hands is wisest action. ---Kabir

The need to scoop water out of a boat is obvious. But many people would find it hard to see why to throw money out of the house. 

Today, however, millions live in affluence. As we see the consequent suffering and damages to the environment, Kabir’s caution makes perfect sense. 

Money is not neutral. It has its personality with very clear behavior patterns. They never fail to enter a household when money trickles and then pours in. 

Money comes with a powerful urge to grow. Every members of the house is yoked in the task of bringing more by whatever means. Once in this race they cannot stop even when they feel sick and tired. 

The rich want big houses. They fill them with furniture, pets and gadgets. Then they spend their lives wiping the furniture and keeping the houses.

Food habits change. Rich, exotic, imported, expensive foods and drinks are preferred. Parties become frequent. Alarm bell rings when obesity appears followed by typical diseases of the rich. The older generation reforms a little on doctors’ order. The younger generation starts where their parents began and suffer even more. 

Initially, the rich are enthusiastic and make a lot of noise about fighting ‘poverty’. But they soon discover that more degrading poverty enters their rich cities. Simpler living begins to appear attractive. 

Little later, the rich learn that their lifestyle degrades natural environment and damages the earth. Damage becomes irreversible and humanity an endangered species.

There is urgent need to change the way we live. As we desperately look for alternatives, some of us realize that lifestyle of the people we called ‘savages’ might be our model. Cues wisely picked from it and followed can rescue us

Looking at our world today scooping money out of the house makes even more sense than scooping water out of the boat.

Partap
September 18, 2008