I was in class 5 when i first discovered the art of killing two birds with one stone. And who taught me this? My father.
My father, a trainer and mentor of insurance salespeople, had a very large family to support. And that too, within limited means. And he always wanted to break the glass ceiling. If not possible for himself, he desperately wanted his children to live differently. And he tried to use every opportunity to fulfil this purpose.
So, when i was in class 5, one day at my school, i came to know that new chappals make you feel comfortable and also make you look smarter. A new pair of chappals also helps you winning new friends and influencing people! To be precise, one boy wore new chappals on a particular day, and everybody was impressed. In our Sarkari Hindi medium school populated mostly by children coming from underprivileged families, this was not very common. I too was impressed and decided to test my fortunes.
When i reached home that day, my father was at home for lunch. Possibly, he was waiting for the same and so was engrossed in reading a newspaper just to kill time. I reached him and demanded in an assertive voice, " Papa! I want a new pair of chappals for myself!" He took his face out of the newspaper, stared at my face and retorted, " Jao! Padhai karo. Kitab mein se chappalen nikalengi!" I was taken aback. "How is it possible?" "Because I am saying so. Don't argue and open your books" came the reply.
Very soon, it became a trend. When i demanded a bicycle for commuting to my new school which was 4 km away from home, i got the same answer / suggestion. " Padhai karo, kitabo se hi cycle bhi nikalegi!" And, of course, the same reply was given to me whenever i demanded a new dress or something like that.
He did kill two birds with a stone. He put me in an undefendable position. One can't carry on any discussion or demand after hearing this. And he also ensured that as soon as the discussion ended, i went to study and opened my books.
Today, i know he was right. Books and, for that purpose, the right knowledge, are really the source of all material growth. We are really living in a knowledge economy. Knowledge is the power today. Knowledge is a fully convertible currency. You can convert it into money any time. And the magic! After giving you the money, it continues to stay with you!! It is very much unlike that proverbial golden egg producing hen. Even if you kill it to get all the golden eggs, it continues to be alive and keeps on giving one golden egg daily!
Yes! My father was right. Kitabon se sab kuchh nikalta hai. Apart from the material things such as chappals, dresses, bicycles, cars and houses, books give you dreams as well as the capacity to realize them!
