“Hi”, he walked up to me and said.

I just had snacks and coffee with my team, and we were about to leave. Earlier, I noticed that he was observing me from the other table. 

“Hello”, I responded and politely asked, “You are…?”

Ignoring my ask, he further inquired “Murali…??”

It didn’t even take a second to occur what he was expecting.

I replied “I am Gopi, the third”… “Murali is my elder brother, the first”. No second thought, he is from the same colony where I grew up.

Although I was not new to such incidents, I was a little surprised that I could not recognize him. My father worked as a government high school teacher, and my mother educated underprivileged kids for many years. Both helped numerous kids in our home place to improve their lives by imparting knowledge. As sons of those awesome parents, we three brothers are well known in our locality.

He retired almost three decades ago. Still today, many such students greet us and ask about our parents’ whereabouts, convey wishes, and even invite us to their kids’ marriages. 

Sat back, ordered one more coffee, and had a nice & lengthy chat with him. He was so happy to share and recollect his childhood memories and the names of other friends in his group. 

While returning home, I started thinking – what made an unknown person (to me) introduce and spend time with me? What positive image & impact my parents could have created, that made him remember them and even their son, after these many years? 

Parents are the first and best gurus – we can learn life lessons through their work. Isn’t it?

Questioning myself – What positive impact am I generating? How else can I contribute best?