Monica and Jane are neighbours.

Monica, in her mid-thirties, works as a receptionist, in a small company. She stays with her 6-year-old son, Ross. 

Monica is a single mom. She works hard to make both ends meet.

Her neighbour, Jane, a fifty-year-old lady, used to feel sorry for Monica’s situation. So, Jane, out of courtesy would sometimes help by being a baby sitter, for Ross. Monica was grateful for a kind gesture. 

As Ross was 6 years old, he had to visit a dental check-up clinic. Ross’s “permanent teeth” were about to sprout and were giving him immense pain. Monica didn’t have money for it. She ignored Ross’s dental condition for a long time. 

She could hardly pay the house rent and other bills. She is not saving anything at the end of the day. Ross kept complaining about the pain in his teeth. Jane could hear Ross cry out with pain. Monica was devastated. She thought of asking for money from Jane.

The next day, she talked to Jane about her money problems. Jane agreed to lend her 1000$. Monica promised to return the money within 2 months.

Ross was doing well now. Days passed and so did the 2 months. 

Everything was going as usual. But as the two months were approaching Monica started feeling stressed as she couldn’t manage to save the money to give Jane.

Monica started leaving the house early for work so that she could avoid Jane. She felt extremely guilty and disgusted at her situation. She didn’t have the guts to tell Jane that she couldn’t arrange for her money. She couldn’t face her.

Jane, on the other hand, felt curious and thought “Why is Monica behaving so strange?” Monica even avoided sending Ross to Jane. 

After three months, of ignoring and not meeting each other, Monica felt guilty. She felt like a thief. She felt as if she had stolen the money from Jane. 

Jane thought about, “What have I done wrong?”. She used to think about their conversations over and over again in her head, just to identify if she said something hurtful. Jane started getting irritated.

They hadn’t seen each other for months. Jane felt betrayed. She had gone out of her way to help Monica and Ross. She even did the baby- sitter job for Ross, out of generosity. She lent money and still didn’t ask for it, even after the two months were over. She felt that Monica just wanted her money. Once she got the money, now she doesn’t want to be in touch.

Jane decided to not help anyone. The fear of betrayal and sadness, made her shut her doors to the world. She used to be at home and watch TV. She didn’t get out of the house, due to the fear of being betrayed and taken advantage of.

Monica was in her own guilt of not confronting that she doesn’t have money to return. She was too in her own sorrow of guilt and pain. But she has broken the promise. She didn’t lend the money on time or talk about it. If she would have taken the money from the bank, and not returned it, she would have been in a more problematic situation.

Relationships without conversations take a drastic end. If they both sat and told their problems, it would have been a happy life. It was not the money, that broke the relationship, it was the promise that was broken, due to misunderstandings.

Many of us have experienced this situation. 

Who is at fault? 

Actually, NO ONE, but unknowingly someone, or in this case, both become sufferers.

Good deeds never get unnoticed by “the universe”. As You Sow So Shall You Reap.

Monica finally decided to go to Jane’s house to talk to her.

Monica reached Jane’s house. She rang the bell, Jane opened the door and was shocked to see Monica. Monica requested that she would like to talk. 

Jane sat on the chair in front of the TV. And looked at Monica with piercing eyes. 

Monica confronted that she didn’t have the money and was feeling guilty for not returning the money on time. She felt scared because she didn’t have money and so was ignoring to meet. And she started crying and fell on Jane’s feet.

Jane understood that Monica was scared and in a bad condition financially. 

Jane held Monica’s hand and lifted her and hugged her and said “You can return the money whenever you can, my child”.

Tears rolled down from both their eyes as the misunderstandings were flowing out. 

Jane offered Monica tea and they both sipped and started talking like long lost friends.

Conversations heal most of the problems.