The Cost of Blind Trust: Straight from the heart

When the Roots Were Changed Deliberately

Part 2: The Cost of Blind Trust

What happened to me was not accidental.

It was preplanned - like a distorted mathematical strategy.

The one who cheated knew the nature of roots very well.

He didn’t solve the equation honestly.

He changed the roots diplomatically - perhaps politically, economically, even psychologically.

And like every wrong mathematical manipulation,

the impact shifted unevenly.

I was affected

socially, economically, and emotionally.

Where Did I Go Wrong?

I questioned myself repeatedly.

I prayed.

I asked the Universe:

“Where did I go wrong?”

My wife, with calm wisdom, always pacified me:

It is his debt upon us.

Some people still believe in peace and harmony -

but not everyone understands the language of honesty.

This reminded me of Tulsidas ji’s timeless line:

“बिन भय प्रीति न होई गोसाईं”

(Without accountability, love and respect do not sustain.)

The message is as straight as mathematics itself.

The Parents Saw What the Fraud Couldn’t Hide

The parents of the child saw something important:

sincerity

dedication

visible academic improvement

emotional stability in their child

The mother, a bank officer, understood one thing very clearly:

Hard-earned money should reach deserving hands.

She insisted we go to the police station.

The Vanished Variable

Before that, I made one final attempt.

Through reliable sources, I found the address of the vanished teacher.

I went to his building with a common acquaintance.

The watchman asked us to wait.

That was the usual time of his arrival.

We waited.

He never came.

Later we were told -

he was “out of station” and would return after a week.

As we were leaving, the security quietly said:

Sir, everyone here is troubled by his sweet behaviour.

He hasn’t paid society maintenance for the last two years.

The chairman is planning legal action.

That moment frightened me more than comforted me.

Inside the Police Station

The child’s mother - a strong Maharashtrian lady - took charge.

She spoke confidently in her local language.

The police officer, initially busy, saw us: a teacher, a mother, and a child.

Perhaps he expected a serious family dispute.

When he heard our matter,

he smiled - gently, not mockingly.

His guidance was honest and practical:

Legal proceedings would cost more than the fees lost

Court visits would disturb social and personal life.

As we stepped out of the police station, I felt neither victory nor defeat.

There was relief in letting go - but also a quiet ache.

Not for the money lost, but for the realization that honesty often stands alone when confronted by manipulation.

This was not treated as a major social crime.

Pressure or humiliation could be attempted, but at a cost

We returned with empty hands but full hearts.

Every Variable Tried

For my own conscience,

I tried all possible variables in the equation.

I managed to recover only one month’s fee.

Promises followed.

Payments didn’t.

Till today, the amount remains due.

The person continues:

changing schools

changing cities

changing states

even going abroad

Some variables are truly tough nuts.

Just as in Part 1, where a single misplaced root altered an entire equation, here too even one manipulated variable changed the outcome significantly.

Reflection

When dishonesty becomes a habit,

it learns survival better than shame.

Question for the Reader

If manipulation keeps succeeding,

does silence become strength - or responsibility?

Part 3 Coming Soon…

Where the equation balances — not with money, but with meaning.

Reflections on learning, life, and the silent truths of education.

A gentle space where mathematics meets motivation and meaning.

Continue this journey on Mathivation HUB ✨

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With heartfelt regards,

— Rakesh Kushwaha 

An educator, a learner, and a storyteller straight from the heart

(Where Mathematics meets Mindfulness)