#47 Being Kind Goes A Long Way

In 1992, my dad was appointed as a manager of a firm that sold medical X-ray films. He had to set up a small office in Pondy, hire people, and start selling X-ray films to hospitals. He hired his friend from previous job as the assistant manager and hired two office boys to run errands, pack orders and deliver them. He also hired an auto-rickshaw driver to deliver the orders.

As I grew up, I got the chance to witness my dad as a manager and one of the things I admired was how my dad interacted with others in the office. He was kind, patient, taught them the necessary skills and went out of the way to help them professionally and personally. He knew that the only way to earn respect is through kindness and not fear.

The kindness he’d shown back then came a long way. Even after we moved to Chennai, my dad was in touch with the office boys and the autorickshaw driver. We attended their weddings and were part of everything good or bad that happened in their lives. And they did the same too. I hung out with them as a kid, so they always saw me as their little brother.

When my dad passed away in 2015, they wept with us , stood by us, and offered moral support. They took care of everything at my wedding from welcoming guests to managing the kitchen. They considered me as one of them, even though we left Pondy in 1999.

They didn’t have to. They were kind to me because they learned it from my dad. If I could learn one thing from my father, it is to be kind to others. It doesn’t cost a thing. But it goes a long way.