Manur guduhrem vor turun marshem

I visited my Uncle Kevork and stayed in his house for one week. During this time I observed his daily habits. He began the day at 4h30 AM. I would hear him in the kitchen. One morning intrigued by his early rising and activity, I ventured into the kitchen. He was sitting at the kitchen table cutting vegetables. I asked, “Amou, inch guhnes? – Uncle, what are you doing?” He explained that he was cutting lettuce and other vegetables for his salad. I asked why he was taking so much time to cut the salad. His reply has always stayed with me. “Manur guduhrem vor turun marshem – I cut very small slices so that my stomach will easily digest.”

His disciplined approach to life was summed up in this phrase. To maintain his health he spent at least an hour in the early morning meticulously cutting his fresh salad into very fine slices to facilitate his digestion. His life was disciplined to the smallest detail for self- preservation. (Self-preservation is the first law of nature.)

With the same preoccupation for detail and perseverance he was able to save money and build his wealth which meant he lived in his own home without debts and had ample amount of money in the bank. Wealth and wisdom are gradually acquired incrementally (as a glass is filled drop by drop) by self discipline and perseverance.