Saturday, September 5, 2009

Never take your parents forgranted

MY TAKE IN LIFE: If you persist in telling white lies, eventually you'll get suck in to those lies and eventually live a lie.

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I was filtering and tidying up my emails and came by the below mail and was reminded that despite the crazy things my parents put me through, I should always remember and appreciate them and NOT take them forgranted. Even if they're PMSing constantly, I should stay calm and NOT be rude.

UPDATE: My sis just asked me to checked out her blog regarding the above Youtube video which I found that it relates with what this post is about. Hence, I've embedded it for your viewing pleasure.

This is about a man who tells how his booking an air ticket for his father, his first flight, brought emotions and made him realise how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.

“My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never travelled by air
before, so I took this opportunity to let him experience it. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Lufthansa.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself for that day and when we went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen, he was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional
and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.

As a child how many dreams have our parents made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for football, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have satisfied all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realised and what they failed to have when we were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all they have missed so their lives can be complete.

Many times, when my parents asked me some questions, I had actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realise how they would have felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.

Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.”

Take care of our parents. Don't take them for granted and make them feel small and unwanted in their old age. They too have feelings/ dreams/hope/aspirations/wishes (and many broken/shattered ones) too while sacrificing them to give us our needs and our wants.


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