To borrow is human, paying back is divine

A few weeks back, an old teacher of mine suddenly gave me a call that he was on his way to my house. It was a bit surprising because he has never been to my house. Obviously, he got the address from someone. Nevertheless, as always, I was happy to receive him as a visitor to my house. What could be the reason for this sudden visit?

He knocked at the door a few minutes after and my 2 year old quickly opened the door for him. He got a wind that we will be having a visitor from my phone conversation. We exchanged pleasantries and gisted a bit about old times. To cut the long story short, his house rent will be due at the end of this month (September) and he needs a loan to be able to offset it.

It did not really come as a shock to me to be honest, knowing the current economic condition of the country. How he thought that I would be in a position to be able to loan him the amount needed is what I could not fathom considering the fact that I have been out of paid employment for almost a year now. Thank goodness for Hive and some freelancing jobs here and there.

Anyway, his situation really touched me and I decided I would make some sacrifices to loan him about 1/4 of the total amount he needed. Even though I told him it is a loan, deep in my mind, I do not expect him to pay it back.

Borrowing is human

We cannot really do without borrowing each other money and material things when the situation demands. It is one of the things that put human in humanity. Countries borrow from countries, organizations from organizations, individuals from organizations, individuals from individuals, and so on.

With the current economic situation of my country, sometimes, you will opt to borrow your neighbours the money meant for your own food because they appear more hungry than you. Unless, of course, you are the type that does not care.

When people want to borrow from you, they make all sorts of pleas and promises. Some even go as far as swearing just to convince you that they will pay back as promised. In the past, these pleas and promises always get to me and make me go to any length to ensure that the loanee gets what they need. I sometimes even go as far as borrowing from someone just to be able to loan someone else.

By putting my own reputation on the line for someone else, I have entered into many troubles concerning loans. I once obtained a loan running to about $700 just because an uncle of mine needed the fund for a business. Up till today, the uncle is yet to pay back the money and his lifestyle shows that he has the money. He just would not pay back.

Paying back is divine

The government is corrupt, yes. The citizens are also corrupt, no doubts. Just because one hardly complains of the economic austerity, many people think you are rich and have no financial problem of yours. People, thus see you as an easy target for a loan they have no intention of paying back.

I am not saying that everyone that does not pay back their loan as at when due does so deliberately. Yes, some wish to pay back but genuinely lack the means. But experience has shown that many debtors just do not find it necessary to pay you back because, in their mind, they need that money than you do. After all, you do not complain or appear to lack anything.

I have been so broke a couple of times that I would shed tears in the corner of my room. I shed tears not because I am broke, but because people that owe me will not even pity my situation to pay back parts of what they are owing. I once called a debtor of mine that I needed to pay the fees for the postgraduate program I was running a few years back. He simply replied that she too was running a PG program and the school fees have taken a huge chunk of her income. She is yet to pay a dime back from the debt even a5 years after.

Armed with all these experiences, I have resolved never to borrow anyone money that I cannot afford to give. I will act as I loaned you the money, but deep in my mind, I have given you. If per chance, you are kind enough to pay it back, I will just gladly tell you that it was a gift rather than a loan.

This is why I decided to 'borrow' that old teacher of mine 1/4 of the funds he needed and wished him luck getting the rest. I could have rallied around to get him the required sum but I will no longer put myself in debt just because someone needs a loan that they might not pay back.

I even made sure that I put some days in between when I promised the 1/4 and when I actually gave him the money just to create an impression that I hustled hard to get the amount. In reality, I simply took the money meant for my child's school fee and gave it to him in hope that I will be able to raise the school fees somewhere else.

Indeed, to borrow is human, paying back is divine.