JULY16, 2015
Mohan Thulasingam
Money can get many things, but not all of our life. Can we
buy health, love and affection? Is it possible to remove a person's pain and
problems with money alone? Despite the facilities like best teaching,
environment and timely food, a student fails in the exams. A man asked God,
"Give me everything to enjoy life." God replied, "I have given
you life to enjoy everything." Life can be happy without money, but not
the other way round.
Passion for money is alright. Nonetheless, it's not the end
of life. Money only facilitates our life. Passion for life is desirable as one
can understand and enjoy it fully. Some people live in misery though earning
handsomely, but leave the world without enjoying the benefits of such wealth.
Actually, money brings more happiness only when used and shared with others.
Philanthropists engage in collecting and distributing the money for the welfare
of others.
The purpose of money is fundamentally same all over the
world: measure the value of anything in exchange. The units or names of money
might vary in different countries as Dollar, Pound Sterling, Yen, Rupee, etc..
Money gets various names when it changes hands depending upon the places and
situations. It is an offering in a place of worship, fees in a school or
college , gift in a marriage, alimony paid in a divorce, debt when borrowed,
tax paid to the government, penalty remitted in a court, pension to a retired
employee, salary or wages paid by the employer to the worker, the tips given
after a service, ransom paid to the kidnappers, bribe when illegally collected
by anybody for any service or favor done, price charged by any business for the
product or service sold, etc.
Money can be stored as movable and immovable assets. Coins,
Currency notes, Bank deposits, Insurance, Shares, Bonds and Bullion, etc. Are
the movable type. They can be converted into cash easily. Investments in lands
and buildings are immovable money that requires more time to encash. Money gets
color depending on its legality. White money is the one having recognition and
circulation among the public. It's the legally accepted form. Black money is
held by a few people. Its value and forms are known to the owner only. As such
this money remains unaccounted and concealed from the tax authority.
With money, nobody can influence the destiny. Aging and death
cannot be postponed or averted. We should not allow money to rule us: because
it spoils the spirit of life itself. Jonathan Swift said, "A wise man
should have money in his head, but not in his heart."
(Author is a Ex-Banker and can be contacted on
tmohan0311@hotmail.com)
