MID WEEK TOAST
“Tough way of inheritance”
The only son of a certain wealthy man wanted to inherit the father’s business empire. The old man gave his son one condition to fulfill. “Earn five million naira, show it to me and I my multi million naira business is all yours”.
Not long after, his son brought the money he had collected from his mother, claiming he worked for it. His father who was relaxing by a fire, collected the cash and threw it into the fire. The two watched the fire consume the cash into ashes. He told his son to simply go out and work for the money and bring it to him. The mother again gave him another five million naira and told the boy to wait for some time so he could disguise and look worn-out before seeing the father.
When he eventually met his father with the money, the old man was at the same spot by the fire. His father again threw the money into the fire and again they both watched it burn into ashes. The boy was furious, knowing that the father was determined and stringent with the condition of working and saving up to five million naira before he could access his inheritance.
The boy met his mother for advice. She thought of another option they could use to finally outsmart the man but he told his mother not to worry, that he would go out and work for the money.
The boy travelled to another town where he would be given an opportunity to do odd jobs because nobody would believe him, the only son of a wealthy man doing menial jobs?
He spent years denying himself of food, pleasure, good accommodation, designer wears and every good life accustomed to rich mens’ children, just to save up to five million naira to show his father.
When he eventually came back, his mother hardly recognized him. He looked old, haggard and wretched. With that desperate condition, he quickly went to present the money to his father, who incidentally was sitting in the very place, close to naira consuming fire. He gave his father the money. The old man still threw the money into the fire. The boy dived headlong into the fire and brought out the money and exclaimed “Father, you cannot burn my sweat”. The father replied, “Yeah, you absolutely worked for this very one, son”. Nobody will stand, looking, seeing his efforts being burnt as you have in the two previous episodes when your mother helped you.
The old man feeling satisfied with his son’s last action, willed all his wealth to his son.
LESSONS:1.People place value on things they had worked hard for.
2.Before handing over your business to your child, first handover Wisdom to him.
3.Like most of us with wonderful backgrounds, we often deny our children the valuable experience they need to succeed in life by over pampering saying “I do not want my children to experience what I experienced”, forgetting that such conditions added up in making you what you are.
4.Sometimes create artificial scarcity to help harden your children up for tomorrow.
5.Share your life story with your family, as your children will need it someday to solve the challenges of life.
6.Wisdom and good name are the best inheritances you can bequeath to your children.
Happy mid-week to you all.
