passion-driven selfless mentoring is the need of the hour

Last birthday I got one of the best cards from a small batch of students in my hometown. Verily, it was special not because it was a real big one and perhaps costly but because one of the students had written the content from the core of heart with immaculate drawing to embellish it.
The words were,
'As you look back upon the years
and all the joys you've known,
Recalling precious moments that belong to you alone,
This brings the best of wishes that you'll laways find,
The days ahead still HAPPIER
than those you leave behind.
Wishing you Joy, laughter. Gladness & letting you know that Special people are always remembered on Special Occasions.'

No communication with the batch since a long period of time. However, tonight it makes me reflect on the fact that I seldom deserved this much attention, despite the ephemeral character of everything. I was charging for mentoring and thus did not deserve it fully.
Now I realize at times that education has become unduly monetized. We feel bad in imparting knowledge if we do no get any return especially without cash in kind. Too bad. How selfish levels do we stoop to in spreading a holy thing called Knowledge! It makes me repent on my own atttiudes all these years.I did not think of my erstwhile respect for Goddess Saraswati vis-a-vis Goddess Lakshmi. No offense to Goddess Lakshmi and please do not get my intent wrong.
But how could I forget that a reflection of God can be seen in the hungry minds of innocent students who sometimes believe every word of the teacher? And the teacher! The teacher has to cook up so many things and sometimes has to falsely tweak the pedagogy to impress the students for commercial reasons. He goes for a switchover at the drop of hat for more money, which will be anyday lesser competitive vis-vis comparative industry profile. Not blaming anyone but telling it as-a-matter-of-factly.
Still, should a teacher teach for the sake of money? Teaching is an art. Should it not be done on art-for-art's-sake drive?
I get confused sometimes. I know this outburst tonight might be a passing sentiment and I might be back to sqaure one hereoin.
But allow me at least this moment to ask sorry to all the students who perhaps seldom came to know that I teach for money and was never much too altruistic as I had a put-on manyatimes. May God redeem my sins and make me a selfless mentor hereafter!