AGING PARENTS

AGING PARENTS & Green Card

    Since we do not have a proper social security system in place as yet, most old parents must fend for themselves when they are old. Hence, parents must think and plan their future independently seriously, when they are in a position to do so, instead of simply hoping for the best. Worst out-shoot of present day materialistic unprincipled culture is that old parents are left to fend for themselves in old age. Those who are suffering now, are also to be blamed for their pitiable state.

    We must inculcate a sense of responsibility amongst our youngsters who have studied here, passed out from the elite institutions, mostly government-funded, but when time to pay-back comes, they run-off to greener pastures in foreign lands, lure of ‘green card’ too tempting to resist, without any remorse. Worst is that these NRIs, when they visit this country, criticize and belittle the system which has made them what they are, Thanklessness & Ingratitude personified.   

    Cream of our youngsters, are going away without remorse because of lack of guidance and defective parenting, when a child sees so much value and importance being given to materialistic ways and culture. Seeing the parents working day and night for something called money and ‘status’ in society, child becomes insensitive to others’ feelings, including his own parents’. Most parents are initially euphoric and excited about their wards getting lucrative job in foreign lands.

    Imagine how much those countries have benefitted from the talent and brilliance of our children, without having to spend a penny on their education. Normally, you reap what you sow. But, in case of our children going to greener foreign lands, it’s ‘we sow but they reap’. Imagine the colossal amounts spent by our government and society on their education, bringing-up and well-being without any significant returns. Please read the following story if you have time. 

‘UNFORTUNATE MAN’ AND HIS MOTHER

A Poor Couple lived in a Small Village in India. They had only a Son. Inspite of their meager income, they gave him the Best Education. Son graduated as an Engineer from nearby City college and got a good job. Eventually he got married to a rich girl from the city.

Initially, they lived with His Parents in the Village. Soon, the wife got tired of village life & persuaded her husband to move to the city leaving his old parents in the Village. However, they kept visiting his parents off and on. But soon, as he became busier in his work, such visits became more and more rare.

The time passed with the son wanting more and more money and a better life for his family which by now, included only his wife, not his parents. In the mean time husband got a job in the US. Since he was urgently required to join, he could not visit his parents before the departure.

He was very successful in his new assignment abroad and got so engrossed in the new job that he completely forgot about his parents back in a small Indian village. By now he had lived in U.S for about 20 years with his wife. Initially he used to send money to his parents regularly. But as time passed, he started forgetting often. Eventually with time, he stopped sending the money and lost touch with his parents altogether.

But while he prayed these days, immediately after each prayer, he could hear someone telling him in his ears that his prayers are unacceptable. He felt very uncomfortable about this, though.  Ultimately one day, he related this Story to a 'Pious' man who, after knowing all the facts of his life from him, advised him to go back to India to visit his Parents.

The man flew to India & reached his Village. Everything had changed over there. He could not find his house. So he asked the Head of the Village about the whereabouts of his old house and his Parents.

The Head of the Village directed him to a dilapidated house & said: "In this house, lives an Old blind lady who lost her husband a few months ago. Villagers have been looking after her needs. She has a Son who migrated to US some twenty Years back & never came back again. What an Unfortunate Son."

Son enters that house & recognises his mother on the bed but obviously in very bad shape, almost listlessly sleeping. He tip-toed as he did not want to wake her up. Suddenly, he hears his mother whispering, mumbling something while she lay half asleep.

He gets closer to hear his Mother’s voice. This is what his Mother was mumbling, "God, I am now very Old & Blind. My Husband just died. There is no one to cremate me when I Die. So please SEND MY SON to fulfill my last wish"

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This is the Ending of a Story where the Prayer of a Mother has been accepted.

A human body can bear only 45 Del (units) of Pain. But at the Time of giving Birth, a Mother feels up to 57 Del (units) of Pain which is similar to 20 Bones getting fractured, all at the same time. 

This is just to tell you the extent, to which a Mother Loves Her Child and undergoes such extreme pains happily for the sake of the child.

That's why, it is said

"GOD COULD NOT BE EVERYWHERE. SO HE MADE MOTHERS".

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