It is said that life comes a full circle. We enter this world as tiny frail things, completely dependent on others for our needs. When we grow old, we are in the same condition. Our body becomes frail and we again become dependent upon others.
The recent happenings around me have made me reflect upon this aspect of life. Over the last few months, my friends have been losing their parents at a steady rate and this has left me completely shaken! I have been compelled to think, ‘Are we already this old that we are being deprived of our parents?’ There have been times in the past when my friends have lost their parents to cruel fate but that was untimely and extremely unfortunate. However, when you start confronting this situation on a regular basis, it kind of leaves you jolted.
My dad retired from work three years ago. He has been the epitome of the saying ‘MY DADDY STRONGEST’. A man, who could lift up any amount of weight with comfortable ease, work endlessly and tirelessly yet never complain. He’s been there for us always, ready to comfort us, to save us from the wrath of our mom and to give us a warm hug whenever we needed him. Even today, when he sees me stressed out, he just wants to do anything to ease out my agony.
Wait! Don’t start believing this to be another ‘Father’s Day’ tribute. It’s nothing like that cause the same goes for my mom as well. She definitely is not the strongest woman in the physical sense of the world yet she is extremely strong mentally. Her strong will power, her endurance powers, her congenial attitude and her zest for life, all these certainly make her a force to reckon with.
So, my parents, though poles apart in nature and temperament, make a wonderful couple and set some real relationship goals for us. This post however, is nothing about that.
I’m writing this because I am disturbed to see how life took a turn once my dad turned sixty. A perfectly fit and strong man, who seemed unperturbed with anything happening around him, suddenly got engulfed in a series of physical troubles.
I have been witnessing his woes for three years now. One thing gets over, and another thing starts. It’s almost like a continuous battle wherein my dad has to come to the forefront and one by one combat different enemies. My mom hasn’t been doing well either.
My parents are vegetarians, have simple food- not the oily friend meals, are teetotallers, go for regular walks, stay physically active, get their annual checkups done, aren’t obese, are non diabetic and keep all other parameters in control. This sounds too good for their age, doesn’t it? Ironically, it is not.
Despite maintaining a perfectly healthy lifestyle, they both faced heart issues and had to undergo angioplasty.
Shocking! Itsn’t it? Well it shocked everyone within their close circle as they’ve been a much celebrated couple among their peers. People look up to them but these bouts of illnesses have shaken the faith of everyone around them. As for my sis and me, we find it hard to believe that those same people who have been our strentgh always have become so frail themselves. We know they are ageing, we ourselves are not growing younger but somehow I think, we children become too selfish. We want our parents to be there always around us.
I must give my parents hundred marks for being super brave. Despite being unwell, they never let us feel their pain. Knowing our busy schedules, they try and manage everything on their own. Quite often we are not even aware of the health issues they are facing. Often we as kids, are not able to be there for them when they need us. We feel guilty but they affectionately tell us that we need to be there for our kids and not feel guilty about them.
Their three grandkids totally adore them. Our parents play with them, have fun with them, cook for them and go out for walks with them.
I want these kids to have beautiful memories of their grandparents. I want them to stay fit to continue playing with them. I want them to get rid of the illnesses which keep surrounding them every now and then.
If only we had any control over these things......I WISH.....
As I write this, I say a quiet prayer in my heart.
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