Footprints on My Path: The Lives That Quietly Shaped Me

Footprints on My Path: The Lives That Quietly Shaped Me

When asked about the biggest influences in my life, I realise that influence rarely arrives with a drumroll. It comes softly—through lived examples, quiet discipline, unspoken sacrifice, and enduring values. Like the steady current beneath a river’s surface, these influences have shaped my thinking, my profession, and my philosophy of life without always announcing their presence.
The earliest and most profound influence was my family, especially the values absorbed in childhood. From them I learnt that dignity does not depend on wealth, that education is a form of worship, and that integrity is non-negotiable. Life was not always comfortable, but it was always principled. Those early lessons became the moral compass by which I still navigate turbulent waters. When circumstances were harsh and resources scarce, resilience became a habit rather than a heroic act.
A towering influence on my intellectual and ethical development was my education under the Jesuit Fathers. They did not merely teach subjects; they taught life. Their insistence on discipline, clarity of thought, service before self, and excellence without arrogance left an indelible imprint on me. The Jesuit philosophy of cura personalis—care for the whole person—later guided my own journey as a teacher and Principal. From them I learnt that authority must be humane, leadership must be earned, and knowledge must walk hand in hand with compassion.
My profession in education, spanning nearly four decades, has itself been a powerful influence. Students, colleagues, parents, and countless lived situations became my teachers. Every classroom interaction, every counselling session, every success and failure refined my understanding of human behaviour. Being a Principal taught me that decision-making is rarely black and white, and that empathy is not weakness but wisdom. In shaping others, I found myself constantly being reshaped.
Another enduring influence has been spiritual and philosophical literature—from the Bible to Indian mythology, from the Bhagavad Gita to reflective poetry. These texts offered answers when logic fell silent and comfort when circumstances felt unjust. They taught me acceptance without surrender, faith without blind obedience, and action without attachment to reward. Philosophy helped me ask better questions; spirituality taught me to live with unanswered ones.
Equally significant has been music—my lifelong companion. Whether it is a soulful hymn, a classical raga, a Mukesh melody, or a simple bhajan, music has healed wounds that words could not reach. It has been my refuge in loneliness, my celebration in joy, and my anchor in moments of self-doubt. In many ways, music taught me emotional literacy long before psychology named it.
In recent years, my **family again—my wife, children, and now my grandchildren—**has become a renewed source of influence. They remind me that life moves in seasons, that relevance is not lost with age, and that love evolves but never diminishes. Watching a new generation grow restores faith in continuity and purpose.
Looking back, I see that the biggest influences in my life were not those who told me what to do, but those who showed me how to be. They did not push me forward; they walked ahead, leaving footprints I could trust.
Some lives teach by speaking,
Some by silent grace;
They light our paths, then step aside,
Leaving us stronger in our own pace.
In the end, influence is not about control—it is about inspiration. And I remain deeply grateful to all those, seen and unseen, who shaped the person I continue to become.