Your kindness is your biggest strength...

 

Your kindness is your biggest strength…

As we are about to celebrate our 79th Independence Day, let’s decide to make a change. Let’s be a little kinder than we are today. It is said that kindness never goes to waste. I know it takes courage to be kind, but I also know that we, as Indian citizens, have that courage. We are a nation blessed endlessly by our gods and goddesses. We can bring change simply by adding a little more kindness to our daily lives.

Recently, I heard an advertisement on the phone. It began by talking about disasters, sudden deaths, and the importance of securing our families through insurance, mutual funds, banking facilities, and more. While these are important, I wondered, why start on such a negative note? Why not begin with positivity? Whatever happens in life, we all wish to remain safe and secure. If we focus on how best we can make wise investments, we can live a better and more beautiful life. This, in turn, will create positive waves in the universe.

I remember many times during festive family functions, if someone wanted to wear a black dress or saree, at least one person would immediately react, “Today is such an auspicious occasion in the family, why are you wearing black?” Sometimes I wonder, why do we react so strongly to such small matters, simply because this belief has been followed for years? We think it will create negativity, yet we accept large-scale advertisements that have an even greater negative impact without question. A single kind thought or kind word can create a positive impact on society then why don’t we start paying more attention to that? It is said, Kind hearts are like gardens, Kind thoughts are like embedded roots, Kind words blossom wherever they go, and Kind deeds are the fruits of our life. Why can’t we learn to show a little more kindness and cherish it throughout our lives?

I don’t know about others, but my positive approach in dealing with hearing-impaired children has made my own life more positive. I have learned kindness and humility from these kids. I still remember being invited as the Guest of Honour at an aarti for Maa Ambe with 100 deaf children present. All the other six invited chief guests couldn’t make it due to various circumstances, and I ended up doing the Maa Ambe aarti surrounded by my 100 closely associated deaf kids. I have had many such opportunities to witness festive ceremonies with my lovely hearing-impaired children. Recently, in a mehndi competition where 26 kids from Josh Foundation participated, there were 10 prizes in total and we won 9 of them. I felt so proud to be there. For me, as an individual, kindness truly becomes the biggest strength in life.

Today, our Indian culture, our rituals, the stories of our ancestors, our worship of gods, our festivals, and our mythological books like the Bhagavad Gita provide amazing knowledge on how to become better human beings, to be kind, to be humble. They beautifully explain that when we focus deeply on goodness, good things only grow better. Lord Krishna has clearly stated in the Bhagavad Gita that we have been given brains to nurture with sincerity. Rather than focusing only on results, if we concentrate on giving our best, we have already won half the battle of life. This is the kind of thought we should generate in our minds every day, and even every moment.

It is said that life is full of ups and downs, everyone has them, and even Lord Krishna was no exception. We must accept both with equal grace. Difficult times give us strength and confidence, while happy times teach us gratitude towards the Almighty. We have witnessed many natural calamities, and many of us have survived extremely difficult situations. If we reflect, those moments that truly changed our lives often became bearable because somewhere along the way, we practiced kindness. That kindness became our strength, helping us survive what once seemed impossible.

As India continues to grow in strength, economically, technologically, and culturally, our true power lies not only in skyscrapers, industries, or global achievements, but in the values that have sustained us for centuries. Among these, kindness stands as the quiet force that unites a billion hearts. Just as our nation progresses by harnessing the skills of its people, each act of kindness we share becomes an invisible investment in our country’s future, strengthening communities, bridging divides, and creating a society where growth is not just measured in numbers, but in the quality of compassion we extend to one another.

In the end, the legacy we leave behind will not be measured by how much we accumulated, but by how much kindness we spread. A kind heart can heal wounds that no medicine can, and a compassionate act can ignite hope where none existed. As citizens of a nation rich in heritage and promise, let us pledge to make kindness our daily practice because when kindness becomes our collective strength, no challenge is too great, no dream too distant, and no future too uncertain. Together, we can build an India where progress walks hand in hand with humanity