Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem.
Chapter 5: Richer Than Before
Six months later, Ravi sat on a wooden bench outside a
modest office in Lucknow. A ceiling fan creaked overhead. The air was thick
with the scent of ink, chai, and faint desperation—familiar now.
The sign outside read:
“Shiksha Foundation – Financial Literacy for All.”
Inside, volunteers were conducting a workshop for small
shopkeepers on how to manage debt, avoid loan traps, and use digital payment
systems responsibly.
Ravi had just finished his part—an hour-long session on the psychology
of money, delivered not with corporate polish, but quiet honesty.
He spoke not as a professional, but as a cautionary tale.
It hadn’t been easy to get here.
After his termination, Ravi had returned to his hometown in
Kanpur, broken and directionless. His parents had said nothing when he walked
in with a backpack and no job. But their silence was warm, not judgmental. They
made space for him—on the old swing, at the dinner table, in their prayers.
It took him weeks to sleep through the night. Guilt gnawed
at him like a slow poison. Shame wrapped itself around his name. No more
LinkedIn glory. No weekend getaways. No Neha.
He had sent her a long email, apologizing—not for the lost
love, but for the lie he had become. She never replied.
But healing, like investing, required patience.
Ravi took a small job as a maths tutor at a local coaching
centre. The pay was modest, but for the first time, he slept peacefully. He
taught the power of compounding—not just in money, but in choices. One good
habit at a time.
Eventually, he started speaking at schools about financial
planning. Word spread. A local NGO asked him to design a basic budgeting module
for rural women. He agreed.
One thing led to another.
Today, he managed training content for the Shiksha
Foundation. He earned enough to support himself and send something home. He no
longer had a car or credit cards. Just a bank passbook, a used smartphone, and
a notebook full of ideas.
And dignity.
That afternoon, as he walked to the chai stall outside, a
voice called his name.
He turned.
It was Aditya—older, grayer, visiting Lucknow for a
conference.
“Ravi?” he said, surprised but warm.
They sat down with two steaming cups. There was an awkward
pause, then Ravi said, “I’ve changed.”
“I can see that,” Aditya replied, smiling. “Heard about your
work. It’s honest. Ground-up. I’m proud of you.”
Ravi looked down, emotions swirling. “I lost everything.”
“No,” Aditya said. “You lost illusions. What you gained is
far more rare.”
They parted with a hug.
That evening, Ravi sat at his desk with a pen and an
envelope. It was addressed to his sister, Shalu.
Inside was a handwritten letter:
Dear Shalu,
You once asked me what real success means. I thought it was suits, offices,
fancy restaurants. But it’s not.
Success is when you can sleep at night. When your money doesn’t buy lies.
When your future isn’t borrowed from someone else’s trust.
Save wisely. Spend humbly. Earn with honesty.
Because money matters, yes. But not more than the truth.
With love,
Bhaiya
He sealed the envelope, placed it next to a box of sweets,
and stepped outside. The stars were out. The town was quiet.
And for the first time in years, Ravi felt rich.
Truly, deeply rich.
The End.
----
links
Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem (Chapter 5): https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/price-of-dreams-tale-of-money-morals_23.html
Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem (Chapter 4): https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/price-of-dreams-tale-of-money-morals_3.html
Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem (Chapter 3): https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/price-of-dreams-tale-of-money-morals_97.html
Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem (Chapter 2): https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/price-of-dreams-tale-of-money-morals_22.html
Price of Dreams: A Tale of Money, Morals, and Mayhem (Chapter 1): https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/price-of-dreams-tale-of-money-morals.html
Full story_ In another life : https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/in-another-life-love-story-left_14.html
In another life trailer: https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/in-another-life-love-story-left.html
Intro of life in words: https://lifeinwords2025.blogspot.com/2025/05/life-in-words-home-for-heartfelt-stories.html
Comments
Post a Comment