What’s your choice?

The choice that makes a difference

Today, Ali turned 22. He finished his education and started to his grandpa’s town. After Ali’s parents left for the heavens a year after he was born, Mahmood took care of him. With Ali now visiting him after completing his education, Mahmood is a proud and relieved man. Mahmood, Ali’s grandpa, is a well-known person in the town. From being a laborer who worked for a daily wage, he became a man who owns numerous small businesses that span from selling milk to extracting silk. He is known for his hard work and wisdom which made him the man he is today.

After half a day of journey, Ali reached his grandpa’s town. He reached home, had lunch with his grandpa and enjoyed the remaining day walking along the river that runs close to his grandpa’s home. As dusk fell and darkness slowly filled the streets, Ali returned home. He knocked the front door, hoping the servant to open it. The door opened, but it was his grandpa, Mahmood.

Ali asked, “Grandpa, are you waiting for me?”

“Yes son. I wanted to have dinner with you”, replied Mahmood.

“Sure, sorry for being late”, said Ali.

“No problem”, said Mahmood.

As they sat for the dinner, Mahmood said, “I want to tell you something”

“What’s that grandpa?” questioned Ali.

“Ali, we have numerous businesses. Your dad would have been a great help, but The God had different plans. After he passed away, I tried my best to run these with the help of Ramesh, your dad’s most trusted friend. Now, I want you to handle them”, said Mahmood with a voice that sounded a little more authoritative than usual.

“Sure”, said Ali.

Mahmood continued, “Tomorrow, I will introduce you to Ramesh. He will help you in understanding what businesses we do and how we do them”

After the dinner, Mahmood and Ali spoke about Ali’s childhood for some time and then went to sleep.

Next day, over breakfast, Mahmood introduced Ramesh to Ali. After greeting each other, Ramesh said, “For the past 20 years, I and grandpa gave our best to take care of our businesses and the people who benefit from them. I always missed your dad. Now, I am happy to see you. Hope you will help me and grandpa take some rest”

Ali looked at Mahmood and smiled.

Ramesh continued, “We run small businesses like, selling milk, extracting silk, trading coconuts and cultivating vegetables. You can start with anything you like. You will most probably understand everything in 3 days”

Ali just smiled again.

After a while, Ali and Ramesh reached office. After talking to a man who handles the milk business, Ramesh said, “Ali, we have a problem. We are supposed to deliver 210 liters of milk every day, but today we could get 186 liters only. We need 24 liters more to meet the demand. Can you talk to the local vendors and try collecting it by evening? Let me know if you need any help.”

“That’s fine. I can manage”, replied Ali confidently. The day is over and everything seemed resolved.

Next day, in the morning, Ali met Ramesh.

“Ramesh, I arranged the milk yesterday, here is the profit”

“Keep it with you, Grandpa told me to give it to you”, replied Ramesh.

“Thanks”, said Ali with a smile and left the office for the day.

On the third day, Ali reached office late. Ramesh called him and asked, “Ali, where were you since yesterday afternoon?”.

Without waiting for Ali to answer, Ramesh said, “Anyways, we have an important work to do today. The onion crop needs to be harvested today. We do not have the required workers to do that. Can you try arranging few and complete it today?”

“Ok, I will try”, replied Ali.

They looked at each other and then Ali left office. In the evening, Ramesh met Ali at the bazaar.

“Ali, did you get the harvest done?” asked Ramesh.

“we can do it tomorrow”, replied Ali.

“Okay” replied Ramesh.

As Ali was returning home that night, it started to drizzle. As he approached the front gate, he saw Ramesh exiting it and said, “Good night Ramesh”.

“Good night Ali”, replied Ramesh.

Ali had his dinner and went to bed. Next day, in the morning, Mahmood came to Ali’s room and woke him up.

“Good morning grandpa”, wished Ali.

“Good morning son, get ready, let’s go for a walk”, said Mahmood.

Ali got ready. Looking at him, Mahmood said, “Come let us walk along the river bank. Take care, the road is a muddy. It rained heavily last night”.

“Son, how were the first three days in office?” asked Mahmood.

“Great”, replied Ali.

“So, are you ready to take care of our businesses?” asked Mahmood.

“Very much”, replied Ali without a thought.

Mahmood stopped, adjusted his eye glasses, looked at Ali and said, “I think you are not. You are not ready to handle our businesses”.

“Why do you think so?” Ali asked with a bit of emotion in his voice.

“How did you arrange 24 liters of milk?” questioned Mahmood.

Ali remained silent for a while. Mahmood waited for him to answer. “I mixed water”, replied Ali.

“Then, what have you done with the profit?” questioned Mahmood.

“I met my childhood friends and partied”, replied Ali

“and, Do you know what happened yesterday night?”

Ali remained silent. The sound of the gushing water from the river filled the silence. Mahmood said, “It rained heavily and we lost the entire onion crop”

“Ali, you are not ready. The reason is not because we lost the crop, it is because of the kind of choices you made. Having the choice to choose between the easy and the right thing to do, you chose the easy thing. It’s easy to add little water in so much milk because no one would ever find it, but it’s not the right thing. To enjoy with all the money is an easy choice, but to save some for tomorrow is the right one. Doing something tomorrow is always easy, but doing it today is right. Unfortunately, your choices are driven by what is easy and not what is right. ”

Ali remained silent.

Mahmood said, “It’s not just in business that right choices matter. Every day and in everything we do, we have a choice”

“The choice to do the right thing and raise above the thought of an easy life to create a worthy one.”

Mahmood continued, “Ali, look at that dry leaf floating in the river. It doesn’t go in the direction it wants to, it goes in the way the river takes it. Life will be the same if you start taking the easy choices, you will end up where life takes you, not where you want to go. But, look at this river as a whole; it has its own destination, it meets the sea. No matter how big boulders stands on its way, the river cuts through them. It doesn’t change its direction, in time it just erodes the rock and makes it disappear. Similarly, once we make the right choice, we erode the difficulties in the path and reach our destination, the destination that we want to reach”

Very true, isn’t it? What are you eating today to stay healthy tomorrow? How hard are you learning today to earn tomorrow? how much are you saving today to enjoy tomorrow? how hard are you working today to relax tomorrow? Every question has an answer. An answer that reflects your choice. Choose wisely. Choose for tomorrow, not today. Choose the one that makes your life worthy. Don’t fall into the trap of an easy choice, no matter how enticing it is. Show some character and make the right one.

“Do not pray for an easy life, Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” — Bruce Lee

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