Money matters, mindset counts!
I'm standing by the window, gazing out at the cloudy Chennai sky on this Sunday morning. Nitya, my young friend, rushes up to me, beaming with pride, her white shoes gleaming in the soft light. "Uncle, see! My shoes are sparkling!" she exclaims, her eyes shining with excitement.
I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Wow, Nitya, your shoes look amazing! You must have worked hard to clean them." I ask, curious about her motivation.
She grins mischievously. "Dad gave me 10 rupees every time I clean them, Uncle!" she says, her voice full of pride.
I chuckle, remembering my own childhood, when I didn't need incentives to keep my shoes clean. I glance out the window, taking in the view of the large, green land parcel next to the hotel. And then I spot them – a family of pigs, roaming freely amidst the bushes and patches of grass. I gasp in surprise.
Nitya follows my gaze and squeals with delight. "Piggies! Uncle, look! Piggies!" We both watch, mesmerized, as the pigs forage in the undergrowth, completely unaware of the urban bustle just beyond the hotel's boundaries.
As we stand there, I think about how times have changed. Nitya's generation is growing up in a world where incentives and rewards are a part of everyday life. But as I look at her, I hope that she's learning more than just the value of money – I hope she's learning the value of responsibility, community, and the simple joys in life.