By Shruti Kesavan:
How often do we think that come Christmas or New Year we should go and donate to an orphanage or pay a visit to the near-by old age home? A handful of us, I would assume. Most of us would be too busy to even think about ‘minor’ issues like these because we would rather think about the huge New Year bash we have an invitation for or a Christmas party at the newly opened pub down the lane.
How often do we forget what truly matters, simply because we are so caught up with things that we assume matter to us? With the rising numbers of inmates in old age homes and orphanages I can’t help but think if we really have sold our souls to the busy night lives and the not-so-important parties that we so loyally look forward to.
When robbery and murder can be considered a punishable offense why can’t abandoning your parents after kicking them out of their own houses or treating them like they are unwanted and making them feel miserable and regret their lives, not a punishable one? We may definitely come up with a quick retort saying there are laws where they can be punished or ‘those’ rules are being made, but honestly who are we trying to fool here? These crimes people commit against their parents are silently borne behind closed doors, everyday, in almost every other house down the street.
Most of us would be quick to say, we wouldn’t be one of those people, but forget to realize every time we let our parents spend the evenings alone just because we have a party to attend or that we would come back as soon as we accumulate sufficient money while working abroad. It the same story everywhere, where we become so busy in our own lives we forget, forget something vital to our very existence, our family back home. The same parents who gave up everything for us, we silently leave them behind, blindfolding our very conscience and instead gift them with a few dollars for their maintenance and a warm post card showing they are missed and loved.
In this new age where everything is virtual, we forget that a hug can’t be felt by virtue of a mere message or that the loneliness can’t be removed with a few dollars and a “miss you” card. There is an urgent need for us to sit back and think, think about what we really need and what we want from life. This Christmas and New Year, who would you make happy?
Your aging grandparents or your tired mother who has sacrificed everything she had for a better tomorrow for you? This time around, let us try to give back to others rather than ask, because in the end just as our parents played Santa Claus to make us happy, the tables have slowly turned and it is now your turn to play Santa and bring a well-deserved smile on the faces which have long forgotten how to smile.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!