Earlier this year, I travelled to India to complete my Masters in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. The journey took me to Cherai, a peaceful coastal town in Kerala, where I stayed at a small homestay run by an extraordinary woman.
Her name is Mrs. Iris.
She`s 86 years old.
A retired teacher.
An exceptional cook.
And one of the most beautiful souls I`ve ever met.
From the moment I arrived, she welcomed me not as a guest - but as family. Each morning, she prepared a delicious homemade breakfast and joined me at the table for long conversations. Her stories were sprinkled with warmth, wisdom, and quiet strength.
At the time, I was searching for answers-trying to find clarity about my life`s purpose. Ever since I left my career in health, a question had been quietly following me: What am I really meant to do?
One quiet morning over tea, she said something that stopped me in my tracks.
I could have lived peacefully with my pension, she said. But I choose to run this place. I`m helping people. I`m changing lives. They need me to feed their families. But more than that - I need them. They give me a reason to wake up each day.
Mrs. Iris employs four local workers - three women and one man.
She pays them well.
Their families rely on her.
Their children go to school because of the income they earn.
They manage their daily lives,food, healthcare, education - all thanks to her steady hand.
Even during COVID, when uncertainty swept across the world, she never stopped supporting them.
That moment opened something in me. A new awareness.
Purpose isn`t always some grand mission. It`s not always about chasing titles or achieving greatness.
Sometimes, it`s simply this:
To be needed.
To show up.
To help someone else make it through their day.
To be the reason someone else can stand a little taller.
Mrs. Iris lives this truth - every single day.
At 86.
And in just one week, she helped me see life in an entirely new way.
Thank you, Mrs. Iris.
You gave me more than a room to stay.
You gave me perspective.
You reminded me what truly matters.