Small Story 234.

Small Story 234: Confidence and the Power of Delivery Padma was worried. Tomorrow was the last day to pay her son Ganesh’s final year B.Com exam fees. Including arrears, the amount came to ₹6,500, though the college had given a small concession because Ganesh was a bright student with excellent academic records. Since her husband's untimely demise, Padma had been managing everything on her own, using her cooking talent to run a small home-based eatery. Initially, she had to sell her marriage gold to set up the business, which she named Dakshin Café—a tribute to her late husband Dakshinamurthy, who had been an accounts clerk in a private company earning a modest salary. Tragically, he passed away from a massive heart attack, and since the company shut down soon after, no benefits or insurance money came her way. With sheer dedication and hard work, Padma had managed to educate Ganesh up to this point. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had hit her small business hard, and it was only now beginning to recover. That’s why she was unable to pay Ganesh’s fees until the last moment. Still, she had faith in her work and the blessings of her family deity. That evening, Ganesh returned from college and reminded her, “Mummy, tomorrow is the last day to pay the fees. I asked my friend Swamy for help, but his father met with an accident and is in the hospital. They are struggling with medical expenses.” Padma silently prayed for Swamy’s father’s recovery as well. Around 7 PM, a woman arrived in a car and inquired about Padma. Introducing herself as Vasanthy, she said, “I’ve heard about your cooking and sweets. I want you to cater for my son’s birthday next week—lunch and sweets for 200 guests. I’ll pay ₹1,00,000.” She handed Padma an advance of ₹50,000 and added, “Your sweets were famous among my friends before the pandemic. I’m glad you’re back.” Padma was overwhelmed with gratitude. She immediately called her three assistants to begin planning for the big order. The next day, she paid Ganesh’s college fees and also gave ₹10,000 to support Swamy’s father’s medical expenses. Padma thanked her deity for sending help through Vasanthy. She knew this was not just a one-time opportunity—Vasanthy could become a significant part of her future success, especially if the birthday event went well. Padma believed in her skills, not with overconfidence, but with the quiet strength of someone who trusts her hard-earned abilities and the power of good delivery. K.Ragavan 3-5-25 -