In the month of April I got a phone call from one of my friends informing me about accidental death of one of our childhood friends. For some time I could not believe my ears and my mind went totally blank. How could this be? I had seen him a week back with his family.

I rushed to meet his parents and his wife. His children are too small, the eldest being 11 years old. My friend had 5 kids and wife is not that educated to work and earn outside either.

I started talking about how uncertain life is and before I could express my sympathy and grief his father interrupted me. With an angry tone he told me “તે મરતો ગયો ને મારતો ગયો”, meaning he killed us all by dying. His father is earning Rs. 5000 a month and he is 65+ with additional responsibility of 5 kids and his daughter-in-law. His wife was viewing the scene unable to defend her husband who did not even have Rs. 20,000 in his bank account.

Dear readers it may seem to be a story but you cannot imagine the condition of the family. Rather than being grieved, the family was angry.

This situation has arisen because of lack of financial planning. Had my friend planned his finances he would have just 1 or 2 children and would be insured for medical requirements as well as death.

Financial planning may seem to be least important and may find last place in our to-do list but it is of prime importance. Remember, we want to make our loved ones smile in our presence than why not even in case of our absence?