467. Wait For A Month!

Even after working for ten years, Shanmugam didn't find much improvement in his job status. 

The small annual increment he was getting couldn't match the inflation level. So, in reality, after ten years of working, he was financially weaker than he was at the beginning.

His attempts to switch over to some other job did not succeed. He realized that there were not many opportunities, fitting with his qualification and experience.

After realizing the limitations of his career growth, Shanmugam considered the idea of doing a business.

When he looked around, after conceiving this idea, he observed one thing. There were a lot of people, without a high education, experience or even intelligence, doing some business or other, successfully.

Most of them had no offices. Noe of them had employees, either. So, they didn't have the financial burden of paying rents or salaries, every month.

'Why can't I run a business like that?'

When he told his wife Chandra about this, she said, "Think well and decide. You need money to invest. You need to have knowledge about the business. You need contacts," listing the things that he didn't have!

Shanmugam didn't reply. Though he found his wife's reply to be irritating, the realization that the issues raised by her were pertinent, disturbed him.

After a few weeks, Shanmugam told Chandra, "I am going to quit my job. Only after quitting my job, I will feel the urge to take up some activity for earning an income, decide what business to take up and then start the business. Otherwise, I will keep thinking of this till my retirement, without taking any concrete action."

"I don't understand. Should you not first decide what business to take up, prepare a plan for starting it and then quit your job? Quitting the job first and then thinking what to do, does not appear a wise thing to do" said Chandra, shocked by his announcement.

"No. I have decided. I don't want to reconsider my decision" said Shanmugam, firmly.

"Ok. In that case, for my sake, will you wait for one month, before carrying out your decision?"

"Why wait for one month? What is going to change in one month?"

"That is what I am also saying. What is going to change in one month? You can postpone your decision for one month, for my sake, can' t you?" pleaded Chandra.

'Perhaps, she is buying time to dissuade me from my decision. But it is not going to work' thought Shanmugam. 

However, deciding to oblige her, he said, 'Ok. I will wait for a month.

After two weeks, Chandra told Shanmugam, "If you want to quit your job, you can do it now."

"You asked me to wait for one month. But it has been only two weeks now! What has changed now?" asked Shanmugam, in surprise.

"I have got a job."

"What job? What is the salary?"

She gave him the details.

"Why should you go for a job, at such a low salary?" asked Shanmugam, perplexed by Chandra's decision.

"I can get only this much for my qualification. That is why I didn't think of going for a job, all these days. You didn't ask me to go for a job, either. But, after you have taken a hasty decision to quit your job, without any plan of how you are going to earn an income for running our family, how can I keep quiet? Should we not have at least one meal a day, for our survival? That is why, I asked for one month's time and tried for a job. Now, I can be free from the apprehension of our children facing starvation."

Even before completing her reply, Chandra began to sob.

"No, Chandra. There is no need for you to go for a job. I will not take any decision in a hurry. I am not quitting my job."

Shanmugam held her hand by way of giving her an assurance.

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 47
Acting After Due Consideration

Verse 467 (in Tamil):

eNNith thuNiga karumam thuNindha pin
eNNuvam enbadhu izhukku.

Meaning:

Think before you take up a task. The idea that we can think after we take up a task is foolish.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'oru mAdha avakAsam' the same author.)

Verse 468 (Soon)
Verse 466