You Don't Need to Be Rich to Be Kind in Philosophy

As a kid, I went to the temple every single day with my grandmother. I would see an old lady always there, praying with full concentration. No one had heard her speak, and most of us thought she was mute. She clearly was poor, at least materially. No one knew where she came from. All we knew is that, however early you visited the temple – she was already there lighting lamps in every corner.

What made me curious is how did this lady manage to light so many diyas given her financial condition. There was this one time I saw her selling candies and local fruits outside a school. Turns out that alone was her source of income.

One day, a small child showed up at the temple. He must be around 9 years old. The kid looked lost and scared. While many suggested he be taken to the police station, this old lady “spoke” to him – the first time I heard her speak!! Her voice was low, and her accent was thick. The kid did not want to go to the police station.

This lady volunteered to drop him at the bus stop near his house. Which meant she would have to walk all the way back to the school, outside which she sold candies. The lady counted the coins tucked in the saree fold around her waist. She said, for today, I can manage. For some reason, none of the well-off people, including my grandma, volunteered to contribute money. This did not stop the old lady.

That day she left the temple before the Aarti, something she never missed – just to drop the kid.

Made me think money and the willingness to help don’t always go together. And affordability is a state of mind!

Takeaway