---------- Forwarded message --------- From: N Sekar <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 10:28 AM Subject: Fwd - Worth reading even if it's a repeat To: Kerala Iyer <[email protected]>, Narayanaswamy Sekar < [email protected]>, Suryanarayana Ambadipudi <[email protected]>, Rangarajan T.N.C. <[email protected]>, Chittanandam V. R. < [email protected]>, Mathangi K. Kumar <[email protected]>, Mani APS <[email protected]>, Rama (Iyer 123 Group) <[email protected]>, Srinivasan Sridharan <[email protected]>, Surendra Varma < [email protected]>
đSTORY TIMEđ "One Roti, A Thousand Relationships" Once, I went with a friend to the passport office. He needed his passport urgently, under the Tatkal category. We stood in long queues. Filled forms. Waited for hours. By the time our turn finally came to submit the fee, the clerk closed the window and said flatly, âTime is over. Come tomorrow.â I requested him politely. âWeâve been here the entire day. Please, itâs just the fee.â He got irritated. âItâs not my fault you waited all day. Ask the government to hire more staff. Iâve been working since morning.â My friend felt disheartened and said, âLetâs go. Weâll come tomorrow.â But something inside me said, wait. The clerk picked up his bag and walked away. I followed him silently. He sat alone in the canteen, opened his lunchbox, and began eating. I sat on the bench opposite him. I smiled and asked softly, âYou must meet many important people every day, right?â He nodded. âYes. IAS officers, IPS officers, MLAs⌠many people wait in front of my chair.â I paused and then asked something unexpected. âMay I have one roti from your plate?â He looked surprised⌠then said, âYes, of course.â I took a roti, ate it with the vegetable, and said sincerely, âYour wife cooks really well.â Then I said gently, âYou sit on an important chair. Many powerful people come to you. But do you respect your position?â He looked confused. âWhat do you mean?â I replied calmly, âIf you respected the responsibility given to you, you wouldnât treat people this way.â I continued, without anger only truth. âYou eat alone. You sit alone. You send people away instead of helping them. People come from faraway places, tired and helpless, and your answer is ask the government to hire more staff. But think for a moment⌠If more people are hired, wonât your importance reduce?â He went silent. I said, âGod gave you a chance not just to earn money, but to build relationships. But instead of using it, youâre losing them.â I added softly, âYou may earn a lot of money, but if you earn no relationships, what will you do with that money? If behavior is not right, even family doesnât stay happy.â Tears welled up in his eyes. He whispered, âYou are right, sir⌠My wife left after a quarrel. My children donât like me much. My mother barely speaks to me. She makes a few rotis in the morning, and I eat them alone here. I donât even feel like going home. I donât know where I went wrong.â I placed a hand on his shoulder and said gently, âConnect with people. If you can help someone, do it. I came here not for myself I already have a passport but for my friend. Selflessly. Thatâs why I have friends⌠and you feel alone.â He stood up, wiped his eyes, and said, âPlease come to the window. I will collect the form today.â He did the work. Before leaving, he asked for my phone number. Years passed. On Raksha Bandhan, I received a call. âRavindra Kumar Chowdhary speaking, sir. Many years ago, you came to the passport office⌠and you ate a roti with me.â My heart paused. I remembered everything. He said joyfully, âSir, after that day, I kept thinking. Many people give money but no one sits and eats with you.â He continued, voice filled with emotion: âThe very next day, I went to my wifeâs maternal home. She wasnât ready to return. So I picked up a roti from her plate and asked, âWill you feed me?â She broke down crying.â âShe came home with me. My children came too. Now, sir, I donât earn money. I earn relationships. Whoever comes to me, I do their work happily.â Then he said softly, âI called you today to wish you Happy Raksha Bandhan. You taught me how to build relationships.â âMy daughter is getting married next month. You must come and bless her. You made a relationship.â I listened⌠silently⌠deeply moved. I never imagined that sharing one roti could change an entire life. MORAL People are not won by rules, power, or money. They are won by kindness, respect, and connecti Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=US_Acquisition_YMktg_315_SearchOrgConquer_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=US_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100002039&af_sub5=C01_Email_Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=0c38e4b0-a27e-40f9-a211-f4e2de32ab91&af_android_url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.mail&listing=search_organize_conquer> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CABC81Zf%2BQogDEnYAqzbydfpV546uVDG-Cou4Sv1Xoo_s5r_ZxQ%40mail.gmail.com.
