Theme: There is no need to be scared about poverty.
Know this:
(1) There are poorer in the world than those who have any reasonable means to live.
(2) A rapid transition from affluence to poverty is painful.
(3) A rapid transition from poverty to affluence ruins the entire family.
(4) Money is power. Any power when not trained to handle it properly would destroy those who handle it.
(5) Saints embrace poverty, by understanding the virtues in it.
Theme: There is no need to be scared about poverty.
Short story 20
Sports Reporter interviews God.
This is one of the old interviews from the file. The Sports Magazine, Sports Unlimited, deputed its senior reporter on an assignment to Bangalore. The reporter from Chennai traveled by train to Bangalore.
He was going to interview Indian cricket players after they lost to Bangladesh in the World Cup. Expecting brickbats, the players landed in Bangalore secretly.
After visiting a couple of venues to interview VIPs, in the hectic afternoon, he boarded the AC coach. Just after a couple of minutes he boarded, he slept off.
Suddenly, someone woke him up and pointed out to him that he wasin the wrong seat. He could not believe his eyes, for the person who woke him was none else than GOD himself!
He immediately reached out to get his pad and pen and started the interview with HIM.Reporter: I am a reporter from a popular Tamil sports magazine. There is no secret that publishing an interview with you will benefit my magazine, me and the people, I humbly request….....
God: You want to interview me... No problem. Proceed.
Reporter: Thank you, thank you, thank you God.People say that, no one in the society cares for anyone who does not possess considerable wealth, God included. How far is this true?
God: This is the imagination of rich people who see their strength only in their wealth. You will stand clarified at the end of this interview, next….
Reporter: Why have you created people as poor, rich, good and bad? You could have created only good people who will not sin against you or one another?
God: The differences are not my idea. None of my creations want the same old monotonous stuff. We oblige our creations with what they seek to get.
Some need position, most people seek possessions. Very few seek good health. Still a small number seeks knowledge. An insignificant number of people seek to come back to me and live with me for ever.
Many are confused as to what they want. Whatever they seek, I give. But yet, that doesn’t satisfy any of them, anyway. I am helpless!
God continues, ”Even every Indian TV & radio programs deliver their listeners their choice. The song what they want to listen... Why not me”?
“It is the duty of the Creator to provide what the living creatures want. I am also like the cinema directors and producers” explained God. “If a movie clicks and subsequent movies are made on the same theme, don’t the people reject them”?
“Life would turn monotonous if only good people live in a society. The life would be horrible to have every one, ill-minded. A mix of their numbers makes the life interesting”.
“Do you produce movies only with heroes? You have a hero, a villain, a heroine, a fighting scene, a few songs, and love scenes. It is just that. What I am doing, your film producers are also doing the same”.
It is important that the stories also change with time, to keep the tempo of life.Reporter: God, your example of the cinema was excellent! I now clearly understand your descending on to the earth only to watch our movies!! “But, dear God, people might be interested to know, what is your reaction when they call you a sadist. Majority of the people are poor. Only the poor are affected by nature’s fury. Rich people are getting richer with time and always lead a good life. Nature and its fury do not show their ugly face to them.”
(Reporter was sure, God is now trapped).God: “Hey... Man, realize this”. “Whatever you perceive is false and what you conclude is totally wrong”.
“Those who imagine that money alone can enable one to lead a good life, get wealth”.“Those who did not seek wealth but sought to lead a sensible, caring, healthy and enjoyable life, got want they wanted but you ignorant guys call them poor”.
“For all that I am a friend of the poor, myself. Don’t you know the place I reside? You can see me when the poor smiles.”
Reporter: “How is that, affluence is a painful situation and poverty a joyous situation”?God: “Poor need to work hard. Those who do physical labor keep the best of health. So poverty is a container which holds sound health. No disease would ever care to come near the poor.
The rich, on the other hand, lead a life of luxury and are a moving storehouse of diseases. The pristine life guarantees them only diseases of every kind.
Rich in the society have no true friends. Accumulating wealth, they attract more enemies and detractors.Now, tell me, my dear reporter, what you want to be in life, rich or poor.
Reporter: Mister God! I have not come across even a politician as smart as you .
It’s ok. Let me ask you a pointed question. Are you personally rich or poor?
God: It depends on how any person perceives me.Rich persons treat me as they would treat a poor person They treat me like a commission agent, a power broker and what not. They deposit all their ill earned money in the temples. I use these to help the poor.
The poor look at me as a rich person and a benefactor who protects them.Comparing a poor man’s devotion to me without any offerings, a rich man’s dole of illegally earned wealth has no value to me.
Reporter: One more question…God: Nowadays, media guys show great interest in trying to “put too many words in the mouth of those interviewed”.
If I don’t move out, I’ll be in trouble. Good-bye… Saying this, he disappeared.(The reporter suddenly woke up when the sweeper came into the train to clean . The train pulled into Bangalore city junction.)