Growing up in the beautiful village of Manjoor in India shapes Sunny Zechariah's outlook on the world. It is in this place that he learns to dream, to observe people's constantly changing emotions, and to appreciate the unity of his village. When the day comes to leave the town in search of an education and a career, Sunny carries the memories of home with him. But the physical and emotional landscape of Manjoor continues to change. Corruption and concrete edifices clutter the backdrop, and soon his hometown in no way resembles the memories of his youth. Yet it is these recollections that continue to bring comfort to Sunny. The next three decades see more change for Sunny as he pursues a career, marries, and has children. He becomes a social worker, a profession in which he learns more about human suffering. This causes a shift in his perspective, and he begins to pull the pain and struggles of those around him to the laboratory of his human emotion, providing clarity for the future as well as the past. Filled with rich, poetic language and the vibrant sights, smells, and sounds of India, "Gifts of Silent Tears" offers an insightful commentary on life's varied path through the eyes of one man.