A Lesson For Life

Today I learned a lesson for life. While coming from college I noticed that all the chemist shops were closed. And I remembered that today was strike of all the chemist shops. It was a nation wide strike and no chemist shop was opened. It was an action against government's decision of selling medicines online.
Knowing the reason behind the strike, I asked myself;

"What's the big deal?
We ordered so many things online, clothes, food, books, appliances. Everything is available online these days and we all enjoying the facility of having everything on our disposal, and a mere click of a button is all we need to buy anything.

So what's so big about it?
Why closed down the shops? what if someone needs a medicine immediately and can't wait?"

But then I thought, 'Maybe that's their way to show the whole nation that they need these shops and online shopping isn't the only way for them'

I don't know what to think of it and I didn't mused on it much either. But at dinner time I casually asked my father about the strike in a conversational manner and what he said was eye opening.

He again told me that it was all done to show their protest against the government's decision, that they aren't totally wrong about it either.

But it wasn't a lesson for me. What he said next was the lesson he taught me about life and relationships through his long speech.

He asked me;
"You young people buy everything online from tee shirts to shoes, books to pencil, everything is available online and is cheaper than the retail price. You say that 'it's cheaper papa, let's buy it from here.' And then remind me again and again 'Look I save your money, You always blame me that I waste your hard earned money. Now tell me is it waste? '

But have you thought how you saved that money and why the things online are cheaper than the retail?"

You should think about it because things online are sold straight through company who owns that product. That way they don't have to cut commissions and margins of retailers are also saved. They don't need to pay anyone and because of this every day thousands of people are losing their commissions and earnings. The condition of market is so down that earning a hundred rupee a day seems like a tough nut to crack.

In less than a month it's Diwali, now is Navratra. This is festive season, but still people are not happy, shopkeepers are not happy because they know that every shopping website is launching different schemes to sell their products, and it would be a rare case that someone will come to them to buy new things. Even Festive season is not festive for them.

You say that you find a latest phone online for Twelve thousand only where the same phone with same latest technology is worth fourteen thousands in retail. Look I'm going to save your two thousand rupees. You are happy about saving two thousand rupees and I'm worried for all those people who might have earned their living through those two thousand rupees. And how much a retailer must have gotten after paying for transportation or any advertisement he must have done.

Suppose, if he earned even a thousand rupees after paying all the dues, it is hard to sell single mobile a day. How a man is going to live and provide for his family in just a thousand rupees and that too nowadays when prices of basic necessities are skyrocketing.

Just think if the things we sell become available online then who is going to buy them from us. And how are we going to live? More than that how do you think you will pay two hundred rupees a month on Internet. Oh! Double that your brother spend just as much on the Internet too.

Every year you both brother-sister says that you need new mobiles. How are we going to afford that?

Think all these things before you say that buying things online is okay, because its not."

I was listening to all this with an open mouth and I have no answer for him because really, the concept was just beyond me. How can I know that the market is so down. I'm a book nerd, not a market expert but really the lecture was eye opening. But that's not all that he said to me.

He just didn't talk about money, he talked about relationship too.

He asked me,

"Do you know, How relationships in small towns like ours are made or maintained?"

He knew I didn't have any answer to his question, so he continued;

"Relations aside from blood relation are always work relations. Every relationship is a give and take relationship. When you give something to someone, its only then that they let you take something from them. If you will buy something from a shop only then he will buy something from you in return.

More than that if you go to the same shop again, even twice, they will recognise you. They would want to know your past and present. Of course this might be annoying to you but this is how relationships are made and maintained.

Do you think, the sites you frequent and buy everything from, know you. No beta ji they don't know you, for them you are just a number, a statistic they will show to their bosses to show how their schemes work wonders and so many people visited them this festive season that their site was crashed.
That's all you are to them, a number. And beta ji, if you don't want to remain just a number then start making relationships and leave this internet-shinternet."

So this was the lesson for lifetime that my father bestowed me with tonight. What do you think of it, let me know.

And sorry to my loyal friends and followers who waited a long time to read something from me.
I'm so sorry, real life is taking its toll on me and I'm unable to write as much as I used to. I'm so sorry.
But a big thank you to all of you for sticking by me.

And congratulations to my friend @Love_is_everywhere who won a poetry competition organised by an Indian university. I don't know details but I'm happy for her.

Do vote, comment and share.

THANK YOU ALL ♥

Kanchan Mehta :)