Trust makes you free to choose life and fearless to live the same!

I was 10 years of age. One of my classmates came to my dad and said, ‘Uncle, your son has started smoking. I saw him smoking many times.’

My dad said, ‘Thank you for the wonderful news. I am happy as I will have company in my home for the smoke now and he will never ask me to quit smoking. Please tell me if he has borrowed some money from you to buy cigarettes and I will return the same to you. And yes, in case you have already developed cancer tumors because of second hand smoking as you stay with my son, I will sponsor your treatment.’ 

My classmate was shocked to hear the response from my dad. To be honest, even I was stunned to hear this conversation when my dad revealed this few months later.

My obvious question was, ‘what made you say like this and don’t believe even an iota in his words?’

To this my dad responded, ‘I trust you and believe that if you know anything is wrong; you will not do it. Smoking for sure is a bad habit and you know this.’

Response from my dad made me cry that day and explains all that why my parents have given me highest degree of freedom to choose my subjects & schools of studies, career, a life partner and lifestyle.

My dad wanted to see me in a government job yet respected my wish to be in a multi-national company.

When your own people have trust in you, you are free to choose life and fearless to live the same.

Now, the question is not who trusts you and why someone doesn’t trust you. Instead the question is what are you doing to win the trust of people on whom you may not even have any formal authority? 

P.S. Smoke or not to smoke is a personal choice/habit. The above post is just an incident from my life and nothing against the people who love to smoke cigarettes (or do it anyway). People who do are free to make a choice (either-way).