If you had a free round-trip ticket to anywhere, where would you go?
Amar was not a man of any particular ambition. His goal in life came with momentary exposure to what someone might tell him or what he might see around.
When he started his job, he realised people have vehicles to commute hence his dream became to get one. But he didn’t have money, his father outrightly refused to lend him and rather emphasised how more than half of people comfortably used public transport.
Amar was quite angry at this father, pointing out to all those fathers who according to him had given their children everything in life. But one thing was there, when Amar focussed on such a goal and there would only be such goals in life, he would always keep pondering around it.
Hence, Amar kept pondering over the idea of getting a vehicle, with no planning of savings but rather hope of a miracle and then according to his sense the miracle happened. One day at a supermarket, a young woman in formal clothes approached him smiling and offered him a credit card.
I sometimes wonder what the world would be like without the credit card today. If the card were to disappear, would people become more kind? Will the beauty of an ordinary life return? I don’t think there will be an answer to it, but certainly many people have become someone else with credit to this card.
Amar got a second-hand motorbike; it had to be often taken to the service centre. Then one day it breathed it last, and wouldn’t work without an engine replacement. So, with the blessing of the credit card, Amar got a new scooter next, then two second-hand cars and finally a new car. By this time, he had got married and he had got used to being in debt, it did not bother his night’s sleep anymore. For those wondering, his wife sadly did not turn out to be any better.
Like I said, Amar’s goals were decided according to what he saw around, and when you expose this person to social media, all forms of things happen that are let’s say not wise in nature.
Amar and his wife, already under considerable debt, with no idea how they would pay back and with the same belief that a miracle will sort everything out, they decided to go out on an out of the country vacation, because everyone was doing so on social media hence it was something they had to do as well.
It was not a free round-trip ticket, but the tour package was quite low-costing, hence Amar and his wife headed to their first foreign vacation. They enjoyed the first two days like they were in heaven, and then there was a warring situation in the neighbouring country and the vacation became a struggle through hell. They made it back, spending three or four times more than what they had thought they would.
Would this be a lesson though? Do the ignorant have it easier than those of us who are more aware?
Last I know of it, Amar had his money stuck in a Ponzi scheme and he was looking for means to pay his debt back, rotating his card payments from one card to another.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
One response to “Money Miracle”
A thought-provoking story with a powerful message about the dangers of living beyond our means and chasing lifestyles we see around us. Amar’s journey reflects how easily credit, social pressure, and social media can turn desires into endless financial commitments. I particularly liked your closing question. Perhaps ignorance does offer temporary comfort, but awareness gives us the opportunity to make wiser choices. The real miracle is not having everything we desire, but learning to live happily within our means. A wonderful read! 👏
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