THE SMALL WISH
The only child born to them, was born deformed. The child is, now, about twenty-year old; and, ever since it was born, it has never opened its eyes, never recognised its parents, never been able to get up! They have kept this child in a wonderful - very expensive - facility in Bangalore. Though this middle-aged couple lives abroad, they make at least two trips to India, every year, to 'see' their child. And, the only wish they have harboured in their hearts, all these years, is: "We just wish our child to recognise us."
That's not destined to be. Yes, despite they spending lakhs of rupees on this 'little' wish!
Whenever one of their friends plans to visit Bangalore, this couple has a special request to make: "Please visit our child; talk to her; give our love to her ... click her fresh pictures and bring us."
Their friends do.
Kartik studied under me in his final-year of graduation. He, too, was the only child of his parents. He was a mentally challenged child. His parents, too, had a single wish: to make Kartik a graduate, and, that is - along with the 'normal' children.
They succeeded.
But, to achieve this goal, Kartik's parents had to make tremendous amount of sacrifice. They were ordinary people, with ordinary means. But, the kind of commitment and dedication they showed towards this less-privileged child was extra-ordinary. Kartik's mother, in particular, worked extremely hard for her son. Her patience was super-human! What was, even more, inspiring was, that the retired grand parents of Kartik, locked their home in Chennai for a whole year, and came over to Mumbai ... just to be with their grand son, to offer him whatever moral and physical support they could. And, finally, when he graduated with fifty-five percent, they all wound up their affairs in Mumbai, and went to Chennai, to live together, as one family!
You can imagine the kind of joy and jubilation Kartik's parents and grand parents must've experienced on the fulfilment of their 'simple and small' desire.
Perhaps, it is quite difficult for us to fathom this, unless we put ourselves in their place.
Perhaps, it is impossible to do that ... as long as we make those huge demands on our own children. Yes, our 'normal' children. Our demands are:
- Our children should study, and study hard ... score not less than 98% in the Board exams;
- They should get into the stream we have dreamt for them;
- They should be exceptionally focused and competitive;
- They should be enviably confident ... People must sit up and notice them;
- They should earn well, too well ... and earn fame as well.
And, there are half-a-dozen more desires. And, we want our children to fulfill them ... for us.
My son is preparing for his Board exams. Every time, my wife and myself, in the name of our love and concern for his future, go for after his throat - and, when we all get stressed up each time we do that - the faces of that 'little' girl at Bangalore and that 'little' son at Chennai come before us ... and, the 'little' dreams of their parents, too.
That's the moment, we realise how blind, how thankless we can be, at times. In deed, most of the times.
And, how spiritual that moment could be!
GERALD D'CUNHA
That's not destined to be. Yes, despite they spending lakhs of rupees on this 'little' wish!
Whenever one of their friends plans to visit Bangalore, this couple has a special request to make: "Please visit our child; talk to her; give our love to her ... click her fresh pictures and bring us."
Their friends do.
Kartik studied under me in his final-year of graduation. He, too, was the only child of his parents. He was a mentally challenged child. His parents, too, had a single wish: to make Kartik a graduate, and, that is - along with the 'normal' children.
They succeeded.
But, to achieve this goal, Kartik's parents had to make tremendous amount of sacrifice. They were ordinary people, with ordinary means. But, the kind of commitment and dedication they showed towards this less-privileged child was extra-ordinary. Kartik's mother, in particular, worked extremely hard for her son. Her patience was super-human! What was, even more, inspiring was, that the retired grand parents of Kartik, locked their home in Chennai for a whole year, and came over to Mumbai ... just to be with their grand son, to offer him whatever moral and physical support they could. And, finally, when he graduated with fifty-five percent, they all wound up their affairs in Mumbai, and went to Chennai, to live together, as one family!
You can imagine the kind of joy and jubilation Kartik's parents and grand parents must've experienced on the fulfilment of their 'simple and small' desire.
Perhaps, it is quite difficult for us to fathom this, unless we put ourselves in their place.
Perhaps, it is impossible to do that ... as long as we make those huge demands on our own children. Yes, our 'normal' children. Our demands are:
- Our children should study, and study hard ... score not less than 98% in the Board exams;
- They should get into the stream we have dreamt for them;
- They should be exceptionally focused and competitive;
- They should be enviably confident ... People must sit up and notice them;
- They should earn well, too well ... and earn fame as well.
And, there are half-a-dozen more desires. And, we want our children to fulfill them ... for us.
My son is preparing for his Board exams. Every time, my wife and myself, in the name of our love and concern for his future, go for after his throat - and, when we all get stressed up each time we do that - the faces of that 'little' girl at Bangalore and that 'little' son at Chennai come before us ... and, the 'little' dreams of their parents, too.
That's the moment, we realise how blind, how thankless we can be, at times. In deed, most of the times.
And, how spiritual that moment could be!
GERALD D'CUNHA
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