Tuesday, January 09, 2007

So yesterday one of my Nicaraguan employees wrote me to say that her mother had severe diabetes, and she needed a loan of $500 to get her mother the treatement she needed. I asked everyone in my office up here in the U.S. if anyone wanted to contribute to prolonging the life of this woman - no takers.

I made the loan myself, of course. And sent it along with the following note:

Después de pensar mucho te voy a prestar el dinero; pero no puedo seguir prestándote dinero para el caso de tu mama en el futuro. La verdad es que, en mi opinión, tu madre tiene una enfermedad que no se cure. Ya sabes mis sentimientos sobre la filosofía de la vida. Nosotros tenemos un poco de tiempo para vivir en este mundo lindo; y cuando se termine ese tiempo, todos continúan viviendo en el cielo, pero también aquí en la tierra a través de los trabajos de nuestros hijos o de los trabajos de ellos que habíamos dado consejo en como seguir adelante, mejorando el mundo poco a poco.

Este es el único préstamo que te puedo dar para este propósito. La verdad es que no tengo programado ese gasto, y por eso al fin este va a eliminar una oportunidad para un niño desconocido. Pero así es la vida.

Siento mucho por ti y por tu mama.

Cariñosamente,
Tom

Mañana te enviare el dinero.


Update 1-13-07

Translation - Please keep in mind that it is a little hard to convey the actual feelings expressed in one language in another:

Dear______:

After much thought I have decided to lend you the money; but I cannot continue lending you money for the case of your mother in the future. The truth is that, in my opinion, you mother has a disease which cannot be cured. You already know my feelings about the philosophy of life. We all have a small amount of time to live here in this beautiful world, and when that time ends, we may continue living in heaven. But we also continue living here on earth through the works of our children, and through the works of those whom we have given counsel as to how to keep moving forward, making the world a better place little by little.

This is the only loan I am going to give you for this purpose. The truth is that I don't have this expense budgeted, and for that reason it is going to take away an opportunity from some unknown child. But that's life.

I feel very sorry for you and your mother [having to go through this].

Caringly,
Tom

Tomorrow I will send you the money.

--end translation--

Am I a sucker?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

any chance we can have a translation please, i can vaguely know certain words..

tomcal said...

There it is. Keep in mind that the spirtual life plays a far greater role in latin cultures than it does in ours. It doesn't sound quite so harsh in Spanish.

Anonymous said...

cheers, its been many many many many years since i dealt with the spanish language.. and i can only understand it from a latin based translation which its hard.

thanks for the translation.

i think your a humanist, you want to care for everyone, but you have seen not everyone cares for you or others. i bet if you could you would help everyone you could, but you also know you wouldnt receive much praise or even a simple thank you for the good you have done.

Anonymous said...

It is my opinion that giving provides more long lasting good feeling than an exercise of hedonistic pleasure (what new gadget would the $500 bought?). It sounds like since you didn't "budget" for this expense the money is coming directly out of your pocket. No sucker or old Scrooge.

Anonymous said...

theoretically its true, giving is better than receiving, but if you give money you need for other works, a long term plan, over a small term, solution that will never end.

its like those people who win millions and start giving every penny away. when properly invested you can give even more in the long term, less in the short term.

give 1 million away today, but at 7% interest, thats 70,000 a year, for ever.. in 15 years 1,050,000.

which is better.. long term or short term..