Live Or Work

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to
support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after
work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could
one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly
ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard
because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could
buy.
Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough
time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But
he often yearned to spend more time with his family.
The day came when the examination results were announced. To his
joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was
offered a good job as a senior supervisor, which paid handsomely.
Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family
with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation
abroad.
However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week.
He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position
of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the
promotion, he enrolled for another course in the Open University.
Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending
enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for
them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.
Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he
decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He
also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough; it would
be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a
condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many
times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being
promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In
fact, sometimes father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients.
Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending
enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for
them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.
As expected, Father’s hard work paid off again and he bought a
beautiful condominium, overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the
first Sunday evening at their new home, father declared to his family
that he decided not to take any more courses or pursue any more
promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his
family.
Father did not wake up the next day.