It was last Thursday, Donna and I were taking a break. I had so many write-ups piled up and only coffee could help me going. While talking to her, I noticed my secretary Anna passing by. There was something unusual in her demeanor. At a glance, I could see that she had cried. When I was done talking with Donna, I went to Anna’s cubicle. I saw her looking at a family picture on her desk. “Anna, all okay?” I asked.
She wiped the corner of her eyes and then looked at me. “Nothing Bob, just missing my parents. Dad called me in the morning. So I just wish I could be with them,” she said. Looking at the picture again, she sighed. “Why are you not going and seeing them?” I asked. “I have so much to handle here. I am not being able to pay them a visit for more than a year. My responsibilities are forever shooting up,” she cried.
These days, most of us are occupied with so many things that we are disconnected from our roots. While we have intentions to do it, we always do not have favorable situations to do something we want or like.
“Anna, do you remember a single day when you needed your parents and they weren’t there? I asked. She was silent for a while. “No Bob, I can’t think of any,” she answered. “You know, parents never let their children feel that any work has more importance to them than their children. Trust me, your parents too had major commitments but they never let anything stop them from giving you love, care and time,” I said.
There is nothing like the ideal time in the world. We start living away from our parents since graduation days. Internships, jobs, dating, starting a family and the cycle goes on. One leading to another, it’s a never-ending process. In between, we only feel that the next phase of life will make us more settled. We will have more scope to handle things and so that desire to do something at that moment is always pushed further. However, that day never comes!
“Are you too doing the same every time?” I asked. All this while she was looking at the picture. Her gaze was fixed. She looked at me. “Bob, you just said the right thing. I should not be doing this every time,” she said.
She immediately called up her dad. “Hey, Dad! I’m coming home, I miss you and mom so much. I can’t wait to have the Blueberry cheesecake baked by mom,” she said. “Send some for me too, uncle,” I shouted from the other end. She hung up and we both laughed.
Parents’ Day is around the corner. Surprise your parents with your sudden visit and an unexpected plan. Time to give them the unconditional love and care that they have been bestowing on you all throughout their lives. Thinking about our every next goal in life, we tend to overlook the blessings that we have in our lives at present. Call them frequently, ask them to come over and do all that which is going to make them happy. Stop making excuses. Do it now!
Always Live Better Than Yesterday
July 31, 2019
