John’s Journey: A Price for Losing Discipline

 

John was the owner of a shop called "Daily Needs." The shop was well-known in the area because it offered everything customers needed, always with the best quality. John had firmly decided never to compromise on quality, as he believed that playing with customers’ health just to earn more was unacceptable. The customers appreciated this commitment and trusted the shop, often waiting eagerly for it to open. In business, discipline is essential—many people rely on you, so it's important not to waste their time. It was clear in John's mind that he should always value others' time, so he consistently opened and closed the shop according to the set timings. He also arranged facilities for waiting customers and elderly people by setting up proper seating arrangements. He often offered discounts and introduced special schemes for regular customers. Despite maintaining the best quality, John always listened to everyone carefully and spoke politely with a smile. Because of his kind nature, from kids to grandparents—everyone considered John their friend.

Some days ago, John met a new friend named Smith. He was drawn to Smith because of his qualities—he spoke fluently, used proper words with a good sense of humor, had a charming personality, a great sense of style, and most importantly, a friendly nature. John and Smith shared a similar mind set, so after a brief interaction, they quickly became close friends. Smith told John that he had recently joined a firm and was new to the job. John helped Smith find a rental home near his own house. Most nights, they spent time together with other friends, often partying. After meeting Smith, John felt very happy—but gradually, he started losing his discipline. He began staying up late into the night to attend parties, disrupting his usual routine.

One day, John opened his shop late because the party the night before had gone on for too long. As a result, he felt very tired and woke up late in the morning.

Gradually, John started opening the shop late more often, as he was not getting proper rest. He became internally disturbed and began behaving rudely with customers. The same John who once spoke sweetly now seemed like a different person. As a result, the line of customers began to shrink day by day.

Due to the loss in business, John became increasingly irritable. Even small things started to upset him, and gradually, he lost his reputation in the market. Smith hadn’t seen John for a few days. John had become addicted to partying, which made him short-tempered. He even got into arguments with his neighbours and lost the respect he once had in the area.

This morning, John saw a pamphlet on his gate. He picked it up and read it — it was an advertisement for the grand opening of a new "Daily Needs" shop in the same area. The invitation also mentioned the opening time.

John whispered to himself, "Oh no, I’ve lost my business… and now there’s a new shop." He threw the pamphlet away angrily. A sense of worry began to take over him.

But John still went to the opening ceremony of the new shop. However, when he saw the owner, he was shocked — it was Smith. Smith was confidently speaking to the guests with a strong and impressive voice. Tears welled up in John's eyes, and he quietly walked out of the ceremony.

By: Danish

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