Part 1: A Simple Act of Kindness at the Tea Shop
A Morning at the Beach
A few days back, my friends and I went to the beach for a morning ride and to play cricket. Everything was going well, and we planned to head back home. On the way, we stopped for a quick bite and some tea. Let’s remember this tea shop for later.
Reflecting on Gratitude
In our daily lives, how much do we show gratitude or value the things around us and appreciate them? The answer is usually the same: it’s only a few people, and most of them are in their mid-thirties and beyond.
A Sunrise and a Special Breakfast
Some days later, I went to the same beach alone and spent some time watching the sunrise with my grandparents, who were on a video call. After spending around 30 to 40 minutes on the beach, I thought I would get the same breakfast that we got on the day I went to the beach with my friends. It was some kind of vada, maybe an onion vada, but it was bigger than the ones I usually have in Chennai.
A Compliment and an Unexpected Reward
Soon, I departed from the beach after sunrise and headed home as the shop was exactly between the beach and my home. I told the shopkeeper to give me 3 vadas. As I was handed the bag containing the vadas, I told the shopkeeper that the vadas were nice in Tamil (“vada nalla irruku”). He smiled back at me. As I was leaving the shop, I was alerted by a voice.
The man whom I had thanked for the delicious vadas called me back and asked if I wanted some chutney with it. I was surprised to find out they had chutney! Being the hungry guy I am, I said, “Sure,” and the man proceeded to pack some chutney in a small pouch.
The Power of Kind Words
I was smiling all the way home, feeling how the man’s behavior had changed just by complimenting his food. It made a difference in his mood and his behavior towards others, so much so that he even offered some chutney for free without me even asking for it. This made me happy about the man and myself, as I had no intention of getting chutney by saying a few good words to him.
Part 2: Building Connections Through Simple Gestures
Moving to Chennai and Facing Challenges
After shifting to a PG in Chennai and moving out of the hostel, I faced some difficult times where I had to order food even though a third-party aunty was providing me food (the food was just not enough for me). Comment if you want to know the full story.
Discovering a New Food Provider
One day, as I was walking back to my PG, a guy stood near the college gate during the end of the college day, handing out flyers for a food-providing business. I took one, looked at it for a while, and found that it had the whole menu for each day of the week. Most of the foods were North Indian, which made me feel good. I put it in my pocket to look at it later when I was free.
Trying Out the New Service
A few days went by, and I found the flyer on my room’s table. I decided to call the given phone number. After a conversation with the owner and deciding that I needed to try out his food, the owner himself came to my PG and delivered a sample (full meal). After enjoying the meal, I decided to switch from my previous food provider to this meals business. I have been getting food from the same person ever since, and they have not disappointed me.
Connecting with the Delivery Boy
Now that you have some context, it’s time for the real deal.
As I had been getting food from this small business, I came to know about the different people who worked there and who did what. There was a boy who was the delivery person and would regularly bring me food at the designated times. I would sometimes call him directly in case the food was coming late or they had taken a leave.
Showing Care and Receiving Gratitude
Around two days back, I had restarted this monthly subscription for food. It was afternoon, and I was waiting for my food. The boy called, asking me to come down and collect the food. When I went down and collected the food from him, I casually asked him about the reason for today’s delay. He said he had some fever, which was why everything was running late. I felt sorry for the boy and left with my food.
In the evening, the boy called me again to collect dinner. I went down to collect it. While collecting it, I asked him how he was and if he still had a fever. As I was asking him this, I touched his neck to feel his temperature. He said the fever had gone, and he was feeling better.
As I was walking back to my room, he called me and asked if I wanted breakfast the next morning. I said I had college at 8 am, and if he wished to bring breakfast, he should bring it before 8. We said bye and left (we had gotten into the habit of saying bye and having small talk during the collection process).
The Joy of Small Acts of Kindness
As I was walking to my room after he left, I had the same feeling I had when I got chutney from the tea stall guy. I had the subscription for only lunch and dinner; breakfast was not included. He offered to bring me breakfast without me even asking for it. My whole body was filled with a different kind of happiness that is hard to describe in words.
The closest I can say is, do you remember being told that “happiness comes by helping others”? This was not about helping him but just acknowledging him, showing a sign of affection and care, and making him feel valued. This changed my mood completely and gave me a great sense of gratitude. Why don’t more people do the same in our society?
Sharing the Happiness
I immediately called my mother as soon as I reached my room. I was filled with joy and had to share it with someone. I shared both of the above stories with her, and she said, “Yes, these people rarely get any attention, let alone any compliments.” She also mentioned that I had been doing the same thing when I was in a hostel in Andhra Pradesh.
There, I had a great connection with the people in the mess and had learned the local language to talk with them. It was a great pleasure to hear that my mother knew this about me even before I talked about these acts to her.
Conclusion: The Magic of Gratitude
As a concluding note, I strongly recommend you all to say the magical words to people who get the least attention or are not valued enough for what they do. Just saying “Thank You” brings a cute smile to everyone’s face, and the feeling you are left with is out of this world.
Anyway, signing off here.
Mradanshu Dayal
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