One day, when I was preparing for my college exams, my mother got a call from one of

our relatives.

My mother came and said to me that the relative’s daughter wants to talk to you.

I already knew what she was going to say, because she always called during exams. And

she used to ask me to share the papers I had already taken so that she could prepare for

her own exams in different ways. I used to help her, but when it became a habit to only

call during exams, I got tired, and that day, I cut the call without helping.

My grandfather, whom I already admire because of his wisdom and the way he explains

things in simple words, asked me why I had cut the call without speaking.

I said: she remembers me only during exams and I don’t want to keep helping others

who are selfish and only show up when they need something.

He looked at me, calm and kind as always, and said,

If she was asking for help, you should have helped.

Me: Why should I help someone who remembers me only when they need something?

Grandfather paused, then asked quietly:

So you will only help those who have the ability to give something back in return? Is that

what helping others means to you?

That question hit me. I fell silent. For a moment, I thought maybe he didn’t understand what I meant.

But he continued and said:

If someone remembers you in a moment of need, that’s actually something beautiful. That

is a blessing from God that when someone needed help, your name came to their mind.

I paused again for a moment and said:

But Grandpa, she will never value me. If she keeps coming every time and I keep helping,

she’ll never realize it. she’ll never understand my worth. She’ll just keep taking me for

granted.

He smiled softly, the kind of smile only wise people carry, and said:

You know, dear… we can never repay God for all the blessings He has given us. All the

deeds and good actions we do, we do them for ourselves. God neither benefits nor loses

anything from them. But you know what, dear, God still helps us. He chooses to help

everyone whether someone obeys Him or not. So when you help someone without

expecting anything in return… you are actually reflecting a divine quality. And that, he

paused, looking straight into my eyes, is the highest kind of goodness.

I was understanding what he said, but still, a part of my heart wasn’t fully convinced.

There was one more thing left unsaid.

Me: But Grandpa, if I keep helping people who only use me, she’ll never value me. In this

way, people don’t respect you. They just learn how to use you, and I don’t want to be

used.

He gently leaned forward and asked me something that I’ll never forget:

So that means your respect lies in the hands of that person?

If one day she chooses to respect you, only then you’ll become respectful? And if someone

chooses not to listen to you or only remembers you when they need you, will you become

disrespectful for your whole life?

I was stunned. I had no words. But he wasn’t done yet.

Dear, this is about you. This is about your value. That’s what makes you different. When

you choose to help someone even when you know they are just trying to take advantage

and won’t even thank you, until it’s not harming you – That is goodness. That is character.

And that decides who you are.

Then he added,

Tough times in life reveal who you are, by the choices you make in those moments.

I started to say,

But Grandpa, she still won’t…..

He interrupted me gently:

Every time you help someone selflessly without keeping any negative thoughts in your

mind, you are silently telling them – this is who I am, and that is who you are. You are

maintaining your self-respect too.

If they are good people, they will realize even if it takes a long time. And if they don’t…

well, that’s not your burden. You’re only responsible for your own actions, your own soul.

As he spoke, it felt like something was changing in my heart.

That day, I realized how selfless you should be. Because these are the things you do that

remain hidden in your heart. No one claps for you in a crowd for that but you are

becoming who you should be.

That day, I learned that helping others, even when it feels unnoticed, shapes who we are.

It was an inspirational short story about helping others, one that unfolded quietly in the

middle of my own life, yet left a lasting mark on my heart.