Have you ever said or done something that changed the life of another person?

Give an account of your words or actions that led to this change and describe how the experience made you feel.

Every community, religion, and belief teaches us the age-old values of kindness, charity, and selflessness. While virtues are universally preached, we often tend to lose focus of them owing to worldly diversions. However, there some instances in life that make us realize the importance and significance of the values that sustain the essence called “humanity”.

It was on a hot summer day, returning from school with a friend that such an incident occurred. The site was a boon. The sweltering afternoon sun had sucked our energy. Hence, we ran towards our relief as fast as we could.

As soon as we got there, my friend started browsing through the hanging catalogue. I chimed in my options too. Soon, someone quietly popped up behind us. I turned behind to notice a boy. He had no school bag, He was not even wearing a uniform of any sort. With tattered clothes, he presented a shabby look. He gave us a broad grin. My friend instantly moved away from the spot and directed me in gestures to do the same, as if the uninvited guest was to be stayed away from.

I felt a sense of guilt in doing so. Therefore, with a puny amount of money I had, I bought not two but three orange-flavored ice candies. My friend hesitated for a while but seeing the smile on the boy’s face, grinning from ear to ear, gave in. The three of us sat by the lane under the shade of the banyan tree and ate our ice creams which felt sweeter, tastier, and more flavorsome than usual.

Our bond didn’t end there. We invited our new friend to play cricket with us every other day and my mother decided to teach him every evening. His mother works as a domestic help in our house and he studies in class eight with a promising future.