A friend of mine once told me that he wanted to invest in one single thing that would be the rallying point for all other things that bring out the beauty in my life but he warned me not to be too excited because the monetary value will not buy me a pair of jeans even in the open market.
It was close to my birthday. He said to me, now that your birthday is approaching, as you plan for the big feast for friends and well wishers from far and near, every other person can gift you every other thing valuable to you but I will be the only one to provide all the salt to be used to prepare the food to be served at your birthday feast because that is what I can afford.
I chuckled, why call it investment when the monetary value of his gift wouldn’t even buy me a pair of jeans? I wanted to laugh at my friend but instead, I chose to ask him for time to reflect on his proposal because I knew he wasn’t joking. I know him not to be a frivolous person.
Our short dialogue quickly reminded me of the biblical passage which says – “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men”. Matthew 5:13.
I asked myself, what does it mean to be the salt of the earth? It was only then I began to make sense of my friend’s proposal. I realised that without my friend’s salt, the best of meals cooked for my birthday feast would lack seasoning and lose its flavour, only to be thrown out.
It occurred to me that my friend’s gift of salt, on this occasion, would price higher than the most expensive wine gifted to me by my richest friend. The most treasured gift at my birthday feast would value less to my guests than my friend’s salt, the monetary value of which may be the least of all.
The things that make life count are not expensive but their true value cannot be determined in any currency. Can money be placed on your worth? Are you the salt of your earth? Who is the salt of your own earth? Are you the light of your world? What is your budget on light?
The salt may not be the priciest, it may not be the choicest but the salt brings out the beauty in all others, including the priciest. The light illuminates in darkness and provides direction to the strongest, not only when the going is good but even in times of adversity.
There is a salt in every relationship. It could be in the family and it could be in the community. It could be at the workplace and it could be on the playfield. The premium you place on relationships should be far above monetary value. The least of all may be the most valuable when the gains are counted.
My story (though a fiction) leaves me with deep thoughts, that the things that make life count are not expensive but they are priced above the Rupees. It is obvious I will accept my friend’s proposal but more importantly, I’m still reflecting.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr
24 January 2022
