New Delhi, June 17 -- Value is completely meaningless to someone who doesn't understand it. You could offer the most precious, life-altering gift to someone, but if they lack the capacity to appreciate it, it is entirely wasted.

This is the sharp, beautifully visual truth behind today's celebrated Japanese proverb: "Neko ni koban" (猫に小判)-or, "Do not give a cat a gold coin." It is a timeless, pragmatic lesson in compatibility, appreciation, and the futility of forcing things upon the unready.

The imagery of this proverb is brilliantly simple. A koban was an oval-shaped, high-value gold coin used in feudal Japan.

If you toss a shiny gold coin to a cat, the cat will not realise it can buy a year's worth of fish...