My father has got this habit of saving every penny that he can, and he can go to any trouble to do this. He often goes to the ‘Mandi’ to buy vegetables that cost a trifle less there, than in the nearby market. He is now nearing 70 and despite our best efforts at dissuading him from doing so, he does not listen to us, and insists on doing things in his own way .At a time when we would like him to enjoy the conveniences of life, and lead a life devoid of stress, he takes a lot of stress and frets over small matters. A telephone bill kept at a place other than the one designated by him could lead to loss of temper. Despite our best efforts at changing him, he doesn’t seem to bother. Unnecessarily worrying about things over which he has no control, and which do not really matter has led to his suffering a mild neurological disorder for almost an year now.
On thinking deeper about his habit of being too cautious with money, and also of having an obsessive compulsive disorder about minor issues, I realised that this was a virtue once upon a time, when our family income was not too much. In my heart of heart I thank God for this habit of his, which led to me getting the best of education, and other things that the family needed. But why is it that now when money is not too much of a problem, that this virtue seems a vice to me? I think I need to be patient with him, just like he must have been when I was a small child. When I look into his once bright, but now almost sleepy eyes, I wonder at the ways of the almighty...
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