POEM: The Path

The Path

by Adisha Kariyawasam
23 November 2025

Introduction

Every one of us traverses life through choices - some bold, some quiet, many so subtle they barely make a sound. Yet it is these gentle, often unnoticed decisions that shape our character far more deeply than the grand moments we anticipate.

In a world filled with noise, pace and pressure, it is the steady, ethical and compassionate actions that reveal who we are becoming. This poem reflects that truth: that wellbeing is cultivated in mindful, everyday moments; that kindness, connection and dignity matter; and that even the smallest acts of goodness can illuminate the path — not only for ourselves, but for anyone who walks beside us.

🌿 The Path

We all traverse a path.
It is made from a vast pool
of quiet choices
and small moments
where our values take shape —
not in what we say,
but in what we do.

Kindness is not an escape,
nor a prize at the end of striving.
It is the warmth we offer,
the honesty we practise,
the way we soften our voice
when someone needs to feel safe.

It lives in the ethics
we bring to ordinary days:
listening without judgement,
speaking with intention,
acting with courage
even when no one is watching.

It grows in mindful steps -
a morning walk,
a calming breath,
a poem shared  (perhaps even one like this?)
to lift and soothe a tired soul;
a melody composed
to bring peace, purpose or dignity
into someone’s busy life.

It grows in gratitude -
for health,
for family,
for work that lets us guide
the uncertain and the hopeful alike.

It grows when kindness moves from theory into practice:
a gentle check-in with a colleague,
and for me, mentoring someone
who carries more than they admit;
lifting someone
who feels unseen in the noise.

When kindness becomes action,
it becomes the measure of our integrity.
And morality is not grand,
nor does it lie on a higher ground.
It is humble.
In boundaries kept, it is found -
in compassion offered wisely,
in standing steady
when others tremble.

And so we pledge -
not to be perfect,
but to be present.
To create more happiness
and less unhappiness;
to nurture our own wellbeing
so we can be a refuge for others;
to connect with those who cross our path
in ways that help them rise.

If one person
finds a moment of comfort,
a sense of belonging,
or a breath of hope
because we chose unconditional kindness —
then the journey is worth it.

For in the end,
a happier world is not a destination.
It is the path itself,
traversed with footprints of
ethics, compassion,
and quiet, everyday love.

— Adisha Kariyawasam
23 November 2025

🌿 #PathOfKindness
💛 #EthicsInAction
🤝 #ConnectedCommunities
🌱 #MindfulLiving
✨ #WellbeingMatters