Once upon a time, there was a lovely family - a kind father, a warm-hearted mother, and their smart little boy, Ajay. Ajay was a very talented boy. He and his dad were very close. Ajay loved his father a lot. Whenever he completed even a small task, his dad would get him a little gift. That acted as encouragement for Ajay.
So, whether it was while studying or participating in competitions, Ajay always gave his best. He would win many of them, and whenever he did, his father would definitely buy him a gift. Ajay really loved this. Because of that, he studied well, participated actively in many competitions, and won a lot. He also received many gifts from his father.
But there was something that made his mom feel uneasy. She often told her husband,
"What you're doing may not be right. It's good that he's winning and you're encouraging him, but what if one day he fails? What if he loses? Will he be able to accept it? Children should learn to balance both success and failure. If he grows up thinking that only victory brings value and gifts, his future may be very difficult. Please think about it."
But his dad wouldn't agree.
"He's just a little boy! Look at how enthusiastic and sincere he is - he studies well, participates in everything! His teachers appreciate him so much. I feel so proud! You should feel proud too. Let's not overthink unnecessarily," he would reply.
And things continued like this.
One day, Ajay participated in a big running competition. But this time, he couldn't win first place - he only came second. He was deeply upset. Even though his father bought him a gift, Ajay couldn't enjoy it. He felt very depressed, just because he didn't come first.
That's when his father realized they had made a big mistake. He tried hard to console him.
"This race isn't the end. You can win the next one! Why are you feeling so bad? You still got second place!"
But Ajay couldn't accept it. He stayed upset.
His mom tried talking to him too. But Ajay wouldn't listen. He kept missing classes, and eventually, the school teacher noticed and spoke to his parents.
They said,
"Ajay has been very upset for a long time - just because he came second. We're not able to console him. Can you please talk to him?"
So, his class teacher called Ajay and spoke to him.
"But Miss, I always win first place! I don't know what happened this time. How did Sundar come first?" he said, still upset.
The teacher thought for a moment and said,
"There's only one way. Talk to Sundar. Maybe you'll understand some things."
She called Sundar over. Ajay felt angry the moment he saw him - jealousy, frustration, everything boiled up. He refused to talk and turned his face away.
Then the teacher asked,
"Sundar, how did you win the first prize in the running competition this year? For so many years, you didn't win. What made the difference this time? I really want to know."
Sundar stood up and said,
"Ma'am, you announced that the cash prize was? Rs.5000, right? That's why I decided I had to win this race. Because that? Rs.5000 was very important for my family.
My school fees, my little sister's fees, and our household expenses - my dad hasn't been well and couldn't go to work for a few days. So this month has been really hard.
When you said the prize was? Rs.5000, I thought - if I win, I can give that money to my mom and dad and reduce their burden a little. That's why I tried my best and won."
Hearing this, Ajay understood.
The teacher turned to him and said,
"Did you hear that, Ajay? For you, winning has become routine. But for Sundar, it was a need. That's what gave him the strength to win. You've always believed you'll win no matter what - that confidence turned into pride. That pride and carelessness are what made you come second."
"Every competition is important to each child in a different way. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You should understand your mistakes from failures. If you do, you can participate again without repeating them and definitely win."
"Ajay, do you now understand? That little bit of arrogance, that carelessness inside you - those are what made you lose this time."
Ajay finally understood.
He went home and told his mom everything. She was happy and said,
"This is what I've been waiting for - you understanding this by yourself. And now I need to tell you something important."
"What is it, Mom?" Ajay asked.
She replied,
"For every competition you won, your dad worked hard and bought you gifts. No matter how tough things were, we never told you - because we just wanted you to study well, grow well, and live happily, without knowing our struggles.
But you must understand something. Every gift you received is temporary. It can break, expire, or be forgotten. Think about it - how many gifts have you saved and used till now? Can you even use them forever?"
Ajay thought for a while and understood.
"So from now on," his mom continued,
"Whenever you win a competition, instead of gifts, we - your dad, you, and I - will go out somewhere together. A hotel, a movie, a temple, a park, a theme park - wherever you like. We'll spend the day happily and create beautiful memories.
Because memories can't be stolen or broken. They'll never expire. Even if your dad and I aren't with you one day, those memories will stay with you forever."
"So no more gifts, okay? This is final," she said.
Ajay said,
"I'm sorry, Mom. When Sundar shared his reason for winning, I understood. I troubled Dad a lot. But like you said, from now on, if I win anything, let's go somewhere, spend time, and create memories together."
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Moral of the story:
Gifts may fade, but memories last forever.
In a world full of distractions like TVs, games, and mobile phones, the most valuable moments are the ones we spend with our parents. When you get a chance to be with them - laugh, play, talk, and create memories. Because those memories will stay in your heart forever. They won't break, expire, or be forgotten. They are the real treasures of life.
