Whatever has been borrowed, put it back!

EDITOR: I admire how the Bank Clerks put back the carbon paper into the booklet from which they wrote records of their transactions.

Whoever uses it next would find it ready to be used again. Sometimes we spend much time looking for a misplaced key or wallet. If we had only put them in their usual places, they would have easily been located.

Students arrive at school greeted by a clean, well ordered compound. By the end of the school day, one would observe disorder and untidiness. Garbage at school should be placed in the appropriate bins and the school put back in its clean state before students leave.

With everyone’s help this need not take more than ten minutes. Athletes leaving a play area should put it back in order. Tidying the play area should be an integral part of any competition, where it is judged and points awarded.

Items borrowed must be put back. Borrowed tools should go back to their owners. Borrowed books must be returned to the library. Borrowed ideas must be credited to their owners. Things borrowed for an event must be put back. These may include chairs, tables, PA systems, transformers, and musical instruments.

Things should be put back at the earliest opportunity after use. Failure to do so creates better opportunity for theft and loss. A church lost mike stands and I also lost a transformer in this way.

Monies borrowed must be put back. Whether we call it mortgage, susu, trust from the shop, credit, loan, revolving fund, or student loan.

Putting it back means that we are not selfish, but are committed to making the resources available to the next set of users. It is the honourable, honest, and responsible thing to do. The organization’s College Fund borrowed at no interest and used for our educational advancement must be put back so others can have the same benefit we have had.

The goat or sheep given by the Department of Agriculture on condition that we put back a female into the hands of another farmer must meet its objective. The organic seeds that we planted and produced such a good crop, need to have seeds from the best of the crop saved to be put back in our local seed bank for the next growing season.

Whatever has been borrowed, misplaced, misappropriated, defaced, stolen, embezzled, and robbed, we need to put back. Additionally, we need to put back, in our Culture manners, respect, and deference to the elderly and disadvantaged.

Anthony Stewart, PhD