Member-only story
Title: Measure
Subtitle: “A Lesson From My Grandmother That Changed How I See Strength and Struggle”
"Live within your means."
As a child, my grandmother often reminded me of this age-old proverb. She used to say, “One should only stretch their legs as far as the blanket goes.” And to help me understand, she once told me a story:
> “There was a boy who earned ₹100 one day and was overjoyed. He decided to treat his friend and went to a restaurant. Both of them ate to their heart’s content, but when the bill arrived — it was ₹150. They only had ₹100 between them. Embarrassed in front of everyone, they were forced by the hotel owner to wash dishes worth ₹50 to cover the rest.”
This story left a mark on me. It taught me that we should act within our limits, or else we may end up facing humiliation or punishment.
That was years ago — maybe hard for you to relate to now.
But today, when I reflect on it, I realize something deeper.
Instead of just trying to limit ourselves to the size of the blanket, why not work towards getting a bigger blanket?
> In other words, why not become stronger — financially, emotionally, mentally, or in skills like technology?
If we focus on strengthening ourselves, we won’t have to face limitations or financial helplessness. We won’t have to be confined to what we have — we’ll be free to grow beyond it.
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