Continue to be who you are,
to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.
The effect you have on others’ lives
is the highest expression of your own.” – Maya Angelou
When I saw a news headline with an image of grain bags adorned with the U.S. flag and the words “USAID” in bold, alongside the phrase “from the American people,” something deep from my childhood stirred within me. It was an image I saw every morning while pulling the wet bed sheets off at Bethel Girls Orphanage, Kerala, India—a place where we never wasted anything that came in the aid packages.
The cornmeal from those bags was our breakfast, and often, it was our after school snack. The sturdy fabric of the bags itself was repurposed into waterproof mattress covers, useful to those of us with the distressing problem of bedwetting. I prayed every night for this affliction to disappear, but as I understand now, bedwetting is common among trauma survivors.
The “kuruku,” as we called it in Malayalam, was a simple mixture of corn flour and water, a flavorless concoction that we disliked. But it was this humble soup that saved us from starvation when the orphanage couldn’t afford enough rice or vegetables to feed 200 children three times a day. Our cook, with a creative resourcefulness, would visit the vegetable market daily as the merchants discarded their unsold perishables. She would collect every morsel, convincing the vendors she needed it for her many “rabbits”—a polite, if slightly veiled, way of saying she was feeding orphaned children.
In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to be consumed by anger and fear, but Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said, “True character is revealed not in moments of comfort, but in times of challenge and controversy.” How we respond during difficult times shapes our growth. This is where the words of my teacher, Gil Fronsdal, resonate deeply. He encourages us to trust in our ability to make a positive impact, reminding us that we are “manifestors of goodness.” Rather than letting fear control us, we can choose to manifest goodness, even in small, seemingly insignificant actions. The power to create positive change lies in our responses.
This wisdom echoes Mahatma Gandhi’s teaching: “We but mirror the world.” By changing ourselves—by cultivating peace, kindness, and respect within—our world transforms with us. Our internal transformation becomes the foundation for a more compassionate, peaceful world.
One of my favorite stories, a Jataka tale from India, illustrates this beautifully. There was once a great fire in a vast forest, trapping the animals between the flames and a body of water they couldn’t cross. A small parrot, flying above, saw the devastation and knew something had to be done. So, it flew to the water, wet its wings, and flew over the fire, sprinkling water onto the flames, again and again, tirelessly.
The eagle-god Brahma, watching from above, was moved by the parrot’s persistent and generous actions. He asked, “Why are you doing this? Surely a few drops of water won’t make a difference.” The parrot, undeterred, replied, “It doesn’t matter how small my contribution is; what matters is that I’m doing something to help.”
Brahma, inspired by the parrot’s unyielding spirit, created a rainstorm that extinguished the fire and saved the forest.
This story, like the lessons of Dr King and GandhiJi, reinforces a simple yet profound truth: Even the smallest act of goodness has the power to create ripples of change, whether it’s the tiny drops of water or the bags of grain marked with the US flag, every gesture of kindness—no matter how small—contributes to a world that is just a little bit better.
As the Buddha reminds us, “Hatred never ends through hatred, by love alone does it end.” US aid, like the parrot’s drops of water, represents a profound act of love and compassion. And for this, I am deeply grateful.
Thank you for reading and reflecting on this story of kindness, resilience, and the transformative power of love. May we all continue to be manifestors of goodness in our own lives, just as those who showed us care during our time of need. Let us remember that each small, compassionate act can create lasting change in the world.
by Anna Johns
