Sometimes, it is the smallest gestures that leave the biggest impact.

A few days ago, I bought a birthday card for a friend. Just a simple card with a handwritten note inside. To me, it felt natural. Growing up, birthday cards were a way of expressing feelings that we often struggled to say aloud.

What surprised me was the reaction it received.

When my friend’s other friends saw it, they were genuinely amazed. People still do this, they asked. They admired not just the card, but the effort behind it, the fact that someone had taken the time to choose a card, write a personal message, and make the occasion feel special.

Their appreciation made me realise something important: perhaps old-fashioned gestures never really go out of style. In a world of instant messages and quick reactions, thoughtful acts still have the power to touch hearts.

Then, something else happened that reinforced this thought even more.

Recently, I attended a Satyanarayan Puja. As I entered, I was speaking with my mother and preparing to offer flowers and seek blessings. In the middle of our conversation, a little girl, perhaps seven or eight years old, came running towards me.

At first, I was too engrossed in my conversation to understand what she wanted. But she persisted until she had my attention.

Then she said, “That day, you spoke so beautifully.”

For a moment, I was confused. Then I remembered.

A month earlier, I had done anchoring for our Odia community’s Utkal Divas celebration. It was my first time anchoring such an event. Many elders had appreciated my efforts, and I was grateful for their encouragement.

But hearing those words from a little child felt different.

There was something incredibly pure and genuine about it. She had remembered me after an entire month. She had remembered how I spoke. And she was excited enough to run across a crowded gathering just to tell me.

In that moment, I felt humbled, happy, and deeply touched.

It reminded me how powerful appreciation can be.

We often underestimate the impact of a compliment, a thank-you, or a few encouraging words. Yet those very words can lift someone’s mood, boost their confidence, and stay with them long after the moment has passed.

At the same time, they teach us another lesson: the opinions of jealous, critical, or negative people begin to matter far less when we focus on the kindness and encouragement around us.

A few sincere words from the right person can outweigh a hundred unnecessary opinions.

So perhaps the lesson is simple: write the card; give the compliment; appreciate someone’s effort; encourage the person who is trying.

You never know which small gesture will become a memory they carry with them for years. And sometimes, the encouragement you give may return to you when you least expect it from a friend, a stranger, or even a little child who simply wanted to say, “Didi, you spoke so beautifully.”

pushpanjali.rowt@gmail.com

Published - August 16, 2026 12:18 am IST