“SPENDING FOR LIFE” OR “LIFE FOR SPENDING”

A husband and wife in Northern India were in conversation:

Wife: Don’t put so many clothes for wash today

Husband: Why?

Wife: Maid has said she won’t come for two days.

Husband: Why?

Wife: She said she is going to meet her granddaughter during Ganpati festival.

Husband: OK, Will not put too many clothes 

Wife : And, Shall I give her Rs. 500 as Ganpati festival bonus?

Husband : Why ? Diwali is approaching; we will give her at that time.

Wife : Oh no dear . She is poor. She is going to meet her daughter and granddaughter, so she will also feel nice. Moreover, everything has become so expensive these days. How will she be able to celebrate festival?

Husband: I don’t know why you become emotional so easily.

Wife: Oh dear, don’t worry. I am going to cancel today’s program of ordering Pizza. Why unnecessarily blow away Rs. 500 on eight pieces of stale bread!

Husband: (sarcastically) Wow. Great! Snatching Pizza from us and giving to the maid!

Maid returned after three days and got busy in mopping and dusting. Husband asked her 

Husband : So, how was the vacation ? 

Maid : Very nice sahib. Didi had given Rs 500 as  festival bonus.

Husband : So you went and met your daughter? And also met your granddaughter? 

Maid: yes sahib. Enjoyed a lot and spent Rs 500 in two days time.

Husband: Really? Ok, so what did you do with Rs. 500?

Maid: Rs. 150 for dress for granddaughter, Rs 40 for a doll, bought sweets worth Rs 50 for daughter, Rs 50 as offering to Deity in temple, Rs 60 towards bus fare….Rs 25 for bangles for daughter, bought a nice belt worth Rs 50 for the son-in-law, balance Rs 75 was given to daughter to buy copy and pencil for granddaughter.

Maid gave a full account of the expenses incurred…

Husband : so much in Rs 500?

With surprise, he started thinking… the eight pieces of Pizza appeared in front of his eyes - each one of them acting as a hammer which started hitting his conscience.  The eight pieces of Pizza floated in front of his eyes. First piece: dress for the child, second piece: towards sweets, third piece: towards offering to the deity in the temple, fourth piece: towards bus fare, fifth piece: towards doll, sixth piece: towards bangles, seventh piece: towards belt for the son-in-law and eighth piece: towards copy and pencil. 

He thought: So far I had observed pizza only from one angle. When turned upside down and observed how it looks like, from the other side, he exclaimed: “wow” (unlike the earlier “wow” it was an appreciating one). So many people benefitted from it!

The eight pieces of pizza turned upside-down showed him the real meaning of life. In an instant, the difference in the meaning of “Spending for life” and “Life for spending” flashed in his mind!