My parents celebrated my tenth birthday in an unusual way. My mother told me that it will be a very special celebration. I expected some wonderful present and I did get a very special present, but not the kind I was expecting.

My mother cooked a lot of good food and took me with her to feed the poor people outside the temples of six different faiths: a Sikh temple, a Hindu temple, a Jain temple, a Christian church, a Jewish synagogue, and an Islamic Mosque.

As I handed over two pieces of bread and some very appetizing curry to each person, I did not see Muslim or Hindu or Christian faces — I only saw grateful human faces. Even though it was a fleeting exchange — a small act of kindness and the acknowledgment of gratitude — I can still vividly remember the deep human connection I felt that day, and the profound sense of joy it gave me. This truly was the best birthday celebration for me. My mother gave me a very effective lesson in kindness and caring.

Kindness is a moral obligation across religions, but more importantly it is something that connects us with others and allows us to love and learn from one another more deeply.