Talent is related to Persons, not tools – Story!
The kitchen tap in our house started leaking again.
With a sigh, I called a plumber.
A middle-aged man arrived within minutes.
He had a calm demeanor and a steady gait, carrying an old, faded toolbox.
I watched him work.
First, he picked up a spanner; its handle was broken.
“How is he going to fix anything with that?” I wondered to myself.
But he didn’t seem bothered by it at all. With complete focus, he began to dismantle the tap. A rusted section needed to be cut away.
He reached into his toolbox again. This time, he pulled out a small hacksaw—and half its teeth were missing.
“I must have hired the wrong person for the job!” I thought firmly.
Yet, the work was finished within ten minutes. The tap gleamed like new; not a single drop of water leaked out.
I offered him two hundred rupees. He shook his head and said,
“No, Madam… half of that is enough.”
I was surprised.
“Who refuses extra money these days?” I asked.
He smiled calmly.
“Madam, every job has a fair value. If I accept more today, I’ll come to expect the same tomorrow. If I don’t get it then, I’ll feel disappointed. By accepting only what is due to me, I remain content.”
His answer made me reflect.
“In that case, why not buy a new spanner and a new hacksaw? It would make your work easier, wouldn’t it?” I asked.
He smiled gently and said:
“Mother… tools are meant to wear out; that is their nature. Even when broken or worn, they continue to do the work they were made for. Elderly people are much the same. Just because they bear the marks of age—scars or wrinkles—it does not mean they have become useless.”
Pausing for a moment, he continued:
“When you write at the office, the specific pen you use doesn’t matter. Whether it is an expensive pen or an ordinary one, someone who knows how to write can produce excellent work. Conversely, for someone who doesn’t know how to write, even the most expensive pen in the world is of no use. Talent does not lie in the tool itself… but in the hands that wield it.”
His words left a deep impression on me. Though the traces of time were visible on his face, the contentment in his heart was a priceless treasure.
In a life spent chasing after wealth, comfort, and luxury, we often forget the true tools of living.
Integrity… hard work… gratitude… contentment… these are the real tools of life.
If we possess these, even ‘old tools’ can work wonders.
But without them, no amount of worldly wealth can fill the voids in our hearts.
(Lord accepts our desire to serve Him – Story! READ HERE!)