ON THRIFT

25_Latif Lane,

Sailkot.

January 9_1994.

Dear Riaz,

Have you heard of Socrates? He was one of the greatest men in the world. He was a Greek philosopher. When he went out shopping he did not say “I want this, I want this.” On the other hand, he looked into the shop and said, “I do not want this, I do not want this.” He found that he could live without most of the things which other people wanted. He did not want many things which other people were almost dying to get. The more you want, the more you want, the more you will have to earn. Your nerves will break down, and one day you will have to earn. Your nerves will break down, and one day you will turn a thief. Most of the well-to-do people we meet today are legal thieves. But we can hardly blame them. Their expenses are running like a hare while their incomes crawl like a snail. They spend more than they can earn. They have to make both ends meet by hook or by crook. Socrates, Quaid-i-Azam and other of their status were happy and honest because they kept their wants of the barest minimum. Be like one of them.

Yours affectionately,

Daddy.