$$$ spoils the relations

There's a Chinese saying that speaking of money strains the relations. I think I really understand it after this week. Like I said, I had some miscalculation and got into some financial problem. So I went around borrowing money from friends. It's not too small a sum so I could understand it when they could not help me. I just find it interesting in the sense that the really rich ones who could spare the extra money refuse quite instantaneously; the not so well-to-do ones were trying so hard to help, even suggesting a portion of the sum I needed to just help out. My first aim was to find one person to lend me so that I need not ask from so many different people. The first person I asked agreed heartily and I was so glad. The next day, when I told him to make the payment, he backed out saying he needed to buy a watch and some other stuffs. Well, I could sort of understand it cuz I never did expect him to lend in the first place. Then again, I felt he could be frank. Then were some other people who couldn't help much. Then there was one who really wanted to help but I felt bad cuz he had to use his credit line so I refused. Then there were the rich ones who said they couldn't help. Ultimately 2 people who I didn't really want to ask helped me out. I didn't think it was right to ask them cuz they have very tight finances as well. But they agreed quite immediately without asking much and I was so thankful. Would you say that I had really good friends who came to help in times of need? I would, really.
But somehow, I guess I wasn't really mindful. I told them a date that I would return them by latest. 3 days before that date I had the money in hand, but I didn't return them asap due to another 2 payments which I wanted to clear before my trip. I really should have done it yesterday but I was totally knocked out after the Bird Park trip (see next entry). Today I was mowing my garden cuz I needed it to be trimmed before I leave for HK and after that, I rushed to mum's place to go through her packings. My friends were upset by now that I haven't return the money. Suddenly I understood the Chinese saying. I'm not saying that my friends should not be asking me for the money. They have the utmost right to, particularly when it's such a big sum. I'm just saying that I realise how big an impact money can have on friendships and relations. I seem to finally understand a bit on why familes and relatives argue in court over money and why best friends turn foes over money. I guess this explained why I only wanted to borrow from people who were not close initially. Subconsciously I must have remembered that money strains relations. I should have kept to that and pay some interest instead.
Well, this really is a lesson learnt the hard way.