One Roti, A Thousand Relationships

*"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,

“Time is over. Come tomorrow.”

I requested him politely.

“We’ve been here the entire day. Please, it’s just the fee.”

He got irritated.

“It’s not my fault you waited all day. Ask the government to hire more staff. I’ve been working since morning.”

My friend felt disheartened and said,

“Let’s go. We’ll come tomorrow.”

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,

“You must meet many important people every day, right?”

He nodded.

“Yes. IAS officers, IPS officers, MLAs… many people wait in front of my chair.”

I paused and then asked something unexpected.

“May I have one roti from your plate?”

He looked surprised… then said,

“Yes, of course.”

I took a roti, ate it with the vegetable, and said sincerely,

“Your wife cooks really well.”

Then I said gently,

“You sit on an important chair. Many powerful people come to you. But *"Do you respect your position?”*

He looked confused.

“What do you mean?”

I replied calmly,

“If you respected the responsibility given to you, you wouldn’t treat people this way.”

I continued, without anger only truth.

“You 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, won’t your importance reduce?”

He went silent.

I said,

*“God gave you a chance not just to earn money, but to build relationships. But instead of using it, you’re losing them.”*

I added softly,

“You 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 doesn’t stay happy.”*

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He whispered,

“You are right, sir…

My wife left after a quarrel.

My children don’t like me much.

My mother barely speaks to me.

She makes a few rotis in the morning, and I eat them alone here.

I don’t even feel like going home.

I don’t know where I went wrong.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder and said gently,

*Connect 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.

That’s why I have friends… and you feel alone.”

He stood up, wiped his eyes, and said,

“Please come to the window. I will collect the form today.”

He did the work.

Before leaving, he asked for my phone number.

Years passed.

On Raksha Bandhan, I received a call.

“Ravindra Kumar Chowdhary speaking, sir.

Many years ago, you came to the passport office… and you ate a roti with me.”

My heart paused.

I remembered everything.

He said joyfully,

“Sir, after that day, I kept thinking.

Many people give money but no one sits and eats with you.”

He continued, voice filled with emotion:

“The very next day, I went to my wife’s maternal home.

She wasn’t ready to return.

So I picked up a roti from her plate and asked,

‘Will you feed me?’

She broke down crying.”

“She came home with me.

My children came too.

Now, sir, I don’t earn money.

*I earn relationships.Whoever comes to me, I do their work happily.*”

Then he said softly,

“I called you today to wish you Happy Raksha Bandhan.

You taught me how to build relationships.”

“My daughter is getting married next month.

You must come and bless her.

You made a relationship.”

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 connection.*

Rules are for machines.

Relationships are for humans.

Let us choose to earn relationships, because in the end they are the real wealth of life. 🌼