Lending

.............and borrowing are dangerous areas

Most people have learnt how painful lending can be

The party who borrowed did not repay the sum lent

Or had to be asked over and over for it

Broke the friendship and if not broken then certainly changed it

Give you a Thai story

If you lend money to a Thai you will probably not get it back again

Why not?

Simple

After having pleaded for the money and having promised to pay it back

Then a period of time passes and no money gets repaid

Finally you have enough and ask the Thai why he has not repaid you your money

He will then in all likelihood tell you that you obviously have more than enough money or you could not have lent any to him in the first place so he will not now pay you back your money

Over and over we heard this story when we lived in Thailand 

What makes it worse is all the original pleading and cajoling to be lent the money

Along with endless promises to repay

Then the betrayal and abuse of that gesture

Of course it does not have to be Thailand it can and is everywhere

So what to do?

Judgement

Your judgement

Sometimes we can sense that the money will not come back

We can still lend the money accepting in advance that it will not come back

Or we can say no we cannot give you that amount we can give you the fraction we can afford

Or no we will not lend you any money

Tough one to say

Circumstance should dictate your position and decision

Of more interest than the lending of money is the idea why you?

Why has someone asked you?

Why are you the chosen one?

Because of a close relationship maybe

You are a relative

You are an easy touch

Whatever it might be think in advance, like now perhaps, about on what basis you might lend money

Or how you would say no

Lending is a subject to think about in advance for your own peace of mind

So that when the situation occurs it does not upset you

It does not put you in an awkward situation

It does not prejudice a good relationship or friendship