Gold as an investment

As a kid born in the digital era, I have never understood my family’s obsession for gold. Despite having an interesting childhood filled with comfort, good times and some blissfully memorable trips, one thing never stopped irking me. My parents work day and night and what do they do with the hard earned money? Lock it up until one fine day, giving it all up in exchange for a few gold coins. Despite asking millions of times, why they don’t spend it more, travel more, live their life more, the only answer I would get is, “It will come in use when we’re in a pickle.”

Fast forward 15 years, when my parents have retired and I am the only breadwinner of the house, comes the Covid pandemic. Things couldn’t be bleaker. I was let go of my job. The company I was working with didn’t work well under total lockdown. The aftermath of the Covid situation has taken its toll on many individuals like me. I was stuck outside India and the last penny that I had saved had to be used to get me back home to safety. As I was sitting in my house, slumped over the series of misfortunes, I hardly expected my father to come to me and say, “It’s alright son. We’d saved these gold coins to buy gold jewels for our future daughter-in-law, but it is going to fulfil something better now. Sell this, and there will be enough money for us to run the family for a few years. Don’t lose hope. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to carry the family on your shoulders. Stay calm and look for new jobs. Every cloud does have a silver lining.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a ton of weight was lifted off of my chest.

“Oh Papa, I am so sorry, I misunderstood you all these years. I can’t believe how lucky I am. Thank you so much!” I hugged my dear father and let the tears flow. I cried out, not only of regret and guilt but also with relief and gratitude. I now understood that my parents lived a life of balance, balancing between enjoying the present and saving up for the future. Oh how I wish I become more like them!