Here is a story, and in the end of it there is question, make up your own mind.
Once upon a time in a city not far from here lived a man called Bharat. Bharat was born in poverty and had a large family to support. But from past few decades Bharat had started doing well for himself. Through all his poverty stricken past, Bharat concentrated on getting good education from his children. The going was tough. Bharat couldn’t even afford to eat but he paid for his children’s tution / books.
Slowly one by one his children started to graduate and started finding good jobs on other parts of town and other cities. Family’s income started to rise. Earlier where Bharat would be under the weight of loan, now Bharat was in his small way giving financial help to others who Bharat thought needed help. Bharat was not exactly rich yet but was comfortable with the thought that his hardwork and hardship has put his families future in right path and whole town now knew that Bharat will be a very rich man soon. On one hand this bought Bharat a lot of accredit ions on other hand a lot of established town folks felt alarmed and jealous with Bharat’s new found confidence.
To add to his problem he lived in a neighborhood which was specially tough on him.
On his right lived Abdul, his estranged brother who changed his religion and hence separated from Bharat taking with him part of Bharat’s property. But Abdul felt that he has not got enough and had his eye on the well in Bharat’s house. The relationship were bitter. Bharat had to keep his house locked down all the time, as on slightest of opportunity Abdul and his kids will enter Bharat’s house and still plunder and hurt Bharat’s family.
On Bharat’s left lived a man named Chiu. Chiu and Bharat had lived together for as long as Bharat could remember. In the begining both were equally poor. But sometime ago Chiu seem to have hit a lottery. Chiu was now rich. He was upgrading his house and hosting the whole town for party, as this was the way to announce your power and prestige in town. Bharat never really understood the source of sudden richness of Chiu, whenever he enquired, Chiu will say, it’s hardwork. Bharat himself was working hard but would never get the same results as Chiu. That apart Chiu was a great friend of Abdul. As some other folks in town, Chiu was also jealous of Bharat’s success and often tipped Abdul to hurt Bharat.
In this scenario, with his new confidence, Bharat decided that he would like host a grand party himself. Every year Bharat’s old classmates will host a reunion in one of the classmate’s home. Generally, these parties will be held in the rich part of the town in one of Aristocrat classmate’s house, who were rich by virtue of their birth. Bharat attended the party every year. Now with some extra cash and having seen so many parties Bhart felt he could host a reunion himself. So he contacted his classmates with his proposal. Most of them were happy as they felt a hope for themselves in Bharat’s success and wanted to be part of it. Whereas, the rich aristocratic lobby of classmates hated the idea. One they didn’t want to miss the opportunity for their annual show-off. Two they felt that this way if every year someone like Bharat will start hosting the party then they would have less and less opportunity for there own family to enjoy.
Anyways the Aristocrats, finally agreed to come to Bharat’s place for party.
Bharat was excited he planned a grand party like the one none of his classmates had attended before. he planned and gave loads of money to his family members to deliver a great party. But as the party day approached, Bharat started to note that his rich classmates started trying to talk Bharat out of hosting the party.They said, the street where he lived was not safe. The food may not be good. There may not be enough to drink. Some said they are afraid that they may catch some dreadful disease, some even said that toilets in Bharat’s house were not clean enough.
Bharat was upset. Even though Bharat appreciated some of the concerns of his friends, he found it offending that his friends think that he will not take care of these basic duties of a host and that he has not thought of that himself already. Anyways Bharat was determined to host the party. He made all his sons line up across the street to ensure that guests feel safe. He order the finest of furniture and the most expensive carpet and the biggest chandelier to ensure his rich guests feel at home. He got the best cooks and best ingredients from across the town for his guest… And yes he had the toilet sparkling clean.
The day came and the party started. One by one his guests started arriving. They were amazed with the arrangements. Bharat took care personally of everyone’s needs, serving wine himself. He had the best dancers to entertain his guest. Each guest received BIG gifts. No previous reunion was this grand. But herein lay the problem. His rich guests though amazed by the preparation and arrangement, never actually acknowledged Bharat’s party’s success. Instead, they chose to ignore all the great things Bharat had done and started concentrating on little mistakes every grand party of this nature would have. Where Bharat spoke about the chandelier, his rich friends inquired about bad toilet’s Bharat had before the party. When Bharat tried to impress the guests with expensive wine and food, the guests wanted to know why some of his children look so weak. Some guest refused to come for dance program because they felt it was too hot near the stage. Some of the rich guests damaged the crockery and laughed about it.
The party went on but Bharat’s guest decided to fun not due to arrangements, intent and graciousness of their host. Instead, they found fun in cracking jokes about Bharat and his poor past. Where Bharat wanted to welcome his guests with open hear, his rich guests chose a close mind to come with.
Bharat though kept playing a gracious host, was disappointing. A party that was help to announce to town that he has been a success that his children are now some of the highest tax payers and that he has bought em well and that he is looking ahead for a BIG comfortable future; suddenly became a source of cheap jokes around the town. Where Bharat thought he will earn more respect, he saw that he earned only more ridicule.
Enough was enough. The party got over late at night, but for Bharat it was over even before it started. Bharat was glad to see is guests off.
Next year Bharat is invited to one of his rich friends reunion party. Bharat is angry what should he do?
1) Never show up for the next party?
2) Show up through tantrums like the ones he himself put up with?
3) Show up and be a gracious guest just like he was a gracious host?
U've gotta be kidding!!! 