Wednesday, May 15, 2013

124) Learn Lessons - How to be kind

"We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness." Charlie Chaplin.

A very rich father held a session every morning, for his only son. He recounted how he made money; how he had to work hard; how he beat those who were against him; how he cut corners when necessary; how his riches grew year after year. The son listened diligently. One morning, before the session started, the son asked his father: "Father, can you take all your riches with you when you die?" The father was stunned. The sessions ended that day.

Like the father in the story, we teach our children how to be clever, smart, worldly-wise and profit from every situation. We are concerned over their financial future and save for them. We want them to prosper and teach them how to save and grow strong financially. Good lessons. Nothing wrong with them, if we do not stop with those lessons. How about teaching them to care? For parents? Siblings? Friends and neighbors? Do they learn to be gentle with others? Is kindness their breast plate? Are values and virtues ingrained into them? It is time we reviewed the lessons we are giving our children. Our obsession with riches should not come back to haunt us.