The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude has always been a guiding force in my life, especially when I think of my mother and the deep empathy she showed to others. She had an extraordinary ability to listen, help, and offer kindness even when it wasn’t expected. My mom saw the humanity in everyone and no matter what their circumstances she always found a way to extend a hand.

But as much as I admired her, there were times her actions left me speechless, especially when some people were taking advantage of her goodwill. Her kindness was so pure and unguarded that even when she knew someone might be trying to exploit her, she still helped them. I often found myself reprimanding her. “Mom, they’re just taking you for a ride,” I’d say, frustrated. I couldn’t understand how she could be so open and willing to help people who seemed to be manipulating her. Yet, almost every time she would simply shrug and say, “It’s fine. I’ll help anyway.”

For a person like me who approached the world with a cynical outlook and extremely guarded this openness felt like a flaw. How could she continue to give when it seemed like others were only interested in using her? The dissonance between my perspective and hers left me both admiring and frustrated. She was more about making people feel seen and heard. She knew even when others took advantage of her there was still something deeper going on. Her compassion transcended judgment, a quality I could never quite grasp.

After my mom passed away, we encountered several people who claimed she owed them money. We knew these claims were false, but my dad not wanting to argue, simply handed over the money, trusting that karma would sort things out. Almost a year later, an unknown elderly woman arrived at our doorstep. She had heard of my mom’s demise and had something to share.

This woman was a cowherd, and one day when she was grazing her cows, my mom noticed she was upset. My mother invited her in, offered her coffee and gently asked what was wrong. The woman explained that she was struggling to pay for her granddaughter’s education. Without hesitation my mom gave her 15,000 rupees saying, “This is for your granddaughter’s education. Use it wisely.” None of us knew about this. So when the woman came to return the money it took us by surprise. She explained that she had been saving to return it and felt bad that she couldn’t do so while my mom was still alive. What struck me was the timing. Only a day before our family had been caught in a heated argument over a false claim that my mom owed 1.5 lakhs to one lady. Amid all the chaos, this woman’s visit reminded us of the goodness that still exists in the world.

She wasn’t asking for anything,wasn’t trying to exploit us but simply honoring my mom’s kindness. We told her there was no need to return the money. My mom had given it out of love for a child’s future and we didn’t want it back.

That moment changed me. It made me realize that my mom’s kindness wasn’t naive—it was a profound expression of faith in others. She believed that kindness could make a lasting impact. For someone like me, who tends to see the world through a lens of suspicion, my mom’s behavior was always a mystery. But this encounter showed me that her understanding went far deeper than I had realized. She knew that even when people exploited her, there was still an opportunity to make a difference in their lives.

Reflecting on that moment, I felt a deep sense of gratitude not just for my mother’s legacy but also genuine kindness still exists in the world. Her selfless generosity continues to inspire me, reminding me that true compassion isn’t about keeping tabs or seeing immediate results. It’s about giving without expectation and trusting that kindness has a ripple effect that spreads beyond what we can see.

My mother taught me that gratitude and kindness aren’t defined by others' actions. They are gifts we give freely, and in doing so we can change the world in ways that far outweigh material wealth.