It is impossible for a person like me to even reflect on the profound subject of parents’ love. Nevertheless, due to the blessings of my unsurpassable gurus, beloved parents, and all the noble souls abiding in this world, I am writing down the coarse thoughts of my mind about parents. Never before had I felt much need to share it but today it came into being with all its dismantled shapes. May it strengthen the existing bond of love between parents and their offspring across the world.
Desperate and homesick, I was sitting at the edge of the school football ground. It was a chilling, wet summer morning on the top of the hill like every other day. But this Sunday was strange in itself. There were a few other boys playing football in the opposite corner but their presence did not bother me at all. My eyes were fixed on the far-reaching, winding road downhill. I did not miss even a single vehicle approaching towards the place. Sometimes when my friends passed by me, I pretended to search for a four-leafed clover. Ordinarily, this was a widely played game for the students of the place because we considered someone lucky if he or she found one. But now I felt that my pretence was the thought of a child. Anyone close to me would have easily understood what I was up to because it was one of my frequent practices during my stay there and others would not have bothered about it at all.
Finally, I saw an object in the shape of the scooter climbing the hill. Excitement inside me climbed to its topmost height. Like a bird my heart started to soar in the sky with joy. Even though the object was too far to be recognised by an ordinary eye, I was sure it was my father’s scooter. My parents were coming to meet me at the boarding school where I was staying.
That time was one of my most joyous moments and it cannot be bought with any wealth. Likewise, I have many precious times given to me by my parents and I am pretty sure everybody on this earth have similar beautiful experiences offered to them by their caring parents.
I think that every sentient being needs love and care. Without the love of our parents, we would not be where we are standing today. Parents across the world would know this better than I do. If you are not one of them, then you can imagine it by putting yourself in their shoes, like I sometimes do in order to appreciate another person’s position. Therefore, as a daughter or son of a particular parent, there is a huge responsibility on our shoulders to do justice to what they are to us and for what they have done for us their entire life. Can we ever repay their kindness? I suppose we all can make an effort to do our best. That’s why I feel that every one of us must become more conscious and aware about the fact of our parent’s kindness. Otherwise, as it is said, “It is the ones closest to ourselves that hurt us the most.” and we might become a disgrace to such a pure person in our life.
However, many of us nowadays are carried away by the busy schedule of this materialistic world. We are not able to take even a single day off for our own parents, who have given us everything. What good would material goods bring us if they can’t bring a single moment with our parents? Our parents will not live forever, to bless us with the opportunity to serve them. They would do this if they could but unfortunately, they also cannot fight death. So today is the time—we all must grab the chance to show them our gratitude or else it may end up being one of our greatest mistakes. Many of us either don’t reflect about this or neglect it, and take the matter for granted. Others blame various situations and some even fall into the trap of misguided ways, but in reality there is always a little we can do to repay their kindness even in the worst scenario. May every daughter and son realise the importance of their parents and their kindness before it becomes too late for them.
Here are some of questions which could help us trigger the sense of urgency to realise our parents’ kindness. Whether rich or poor, giant or small, black or white, everyone must ask themselves, “Could I have come so far without the love and care of my parents? What would have happened if they had accidently let me fall from their hands even once? Would I have all my senses intact?”
We would have become a nice meal to some hungry stray dogs if our mothers had left us alone even for a minute as a baby. Look at some hungry children alongside the road; you would be one of them had they abandoned you as a child. Hence, you are not only you, you are like a plant they nurtured. Actually, it would not be contradictory to say that they own us completely. Don’t we remember our parents performing hard labour in the field, while we enjoyed peeping through the window? They deliberately let us remain in the house because they wanted to keep us away from the scorching sun and deadly dust. Parents feed us full and they themselves go with half their stomach empty most days. Wearing filthy clothes didn’t bother them if we were in good ones. My heart sinks when I remember them going in search of wild berries even on rainy days just to keep the family going.
Why should parents undergo such great hardships? They don’t have to but their unending love and concern for us compel them. They happily do that out of love for their children. Therefore, why shouldn’t we children think of their well-being? We should indeed strive for this purpose every moment of our lives. Why do we not do everything possible to bring a smile to their face? Why don’t we all come together and celebrate the auspiciousness of parents in our life? Actually, we must pass this message to everyone and celebrate parents every single day.
By Sangay Wangchuk
5th Year, NNI
