Why giving is anytime a better option than receiving
‘We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.’
-Winston Churchill
Everyone is counting his losses due to the pandemic. Whether it is a big business house, a small time trader, a daily wager or anybody who is making a living by earning-everyone is on tenterhooks and does not know where to start from. We want the government to come out with rescueplans to save our businesses and make up for the losses incurred during shutdown. We all want to receive but no one is willing to give. I believe if we reverse our approach and make it want to give, lots of our takes would not be required. To elaborate it further, I explain as follows:
1.)I am an engineer and a contractor. My approach should be to complete the pending contracts-as the situation improves-in the minimum possible time and with best quality.
2.)My employer-who has awarded me the contract-his approach should be to give fast sanctions and release payment on priority once he is satisfied with the completed work.
3.)A hotelier should offer his rooms at bare minimum profit for a short period so that more people can avail of the facility. Entrepreneurs and small business people who need to travel extensively would be greatly benefitted.
4.)In fact every business owner, every service provider should work at a very nominal profit just enough to keep the business going. Of course this would be for a very brief period till things normalize.
Idea is to create more demand .More the demand, lesser time it would take to cover up the losses incurred during the shutdown. The demand would come from working class and farmers. These are the people who have to be empowered. So when we cut costs, these people have more money to spend and thus the demand generates.
5.)Biggest asset would be the youth of the country. Services of the youth should be used extensively-may it be for any development works, for teaching kids who are not able to study because of any reasons and for any purpose that is deemed fit. We have a big population of educated and skilled youth who would be more than willing to contribute. They could be paid on hourly basis for the services they render. This will not only provide the country with good resources at a very economical price but would also make the youth counted. They will feel to be a part of the system and once the youth gets into the act of nation building, there is no stopping.
Of course the government should do whatever is in their domain but without thinking about caste, creed and electoral prospects. Everything should be on merit and as per specific needs and requirements.
We could go on and on about what could be given by each and every individual. It is just a change of mindset. It has to change from receive to take. As H. Jackson brown Jr.-the famous American author says, ”remember that the happiest people are not those getting more but those giving more”.
Let us see the positive out of this pandemic. Pandemic came, it is still there but ultimately it will go. Let us not count our losses but check what we have gained from it.
1.) We have been brought closer to nature.
2.) We have been given a chance to shed all our negativities.
3) We have been shown our place in this world.
4.) We have been able to refine our thought process.
5.) Our perspective towards life has changed and improved.
6.) Families have come closer.
The list is endless. Come to think of it, the pandemic has given deaths, miseries, financial setbacks but if we are able to see the positives in the situation and adopt them, the world would be a better place to live in. Let us embrace that giving is a privilege and carry on.
Romi Kataria
