THEY HAD ALMOST REACHED HOME

 



“Every challenge, every adversity, contains within it

the seeds of opportunity and growth.”

Roy Bonnett

 

In 2024, I lost my Mom. But, she lived close the age 90. Dad had passed away in 1983. Mom became a widow just after she had turned 48… But, she continued to live, with grace and grit, for the next 41-plus years.

When Dad passed away, due to a massive heart attack, Mom – like any one lese in her place – wasn’t ‘prepared’ to absorb the shock and pain. Dad had left behind a huge challenge for her: to rise from the ashes or just perish… Mom chose to rise…

But, Mom’s sweet sorrow – the sweet memories of Dad – she continued to bear in her heart till her memory was intact. Dad had passed away on the 2nd Jan, a Sunday, early in the morning. So, for close to 40 years, since then, Mom would remind her sons, when they called her to wish ‘A Happy New year’ – “Tomorrow will be 10 years… 20 years… 30 years… 40 years… since Dad passed away”… Imagine, she started reminding her sons right since the first year since Dad had passed away!

Yes, Mom bore the sweet sorrow in her heart till her memory served her…

Tomorrow will be 42 years since Dad passed away…We miss Mom’s gentle reminder!




Amidst the flurry of ‘A Happy, healthy, prosperous New Year’ greetings, I got a reply from one of my ex-students. She is a legal professional and is in her forties. She had been divorced and living single since the age 28. She had lost her younger brother recently, leaving behind his wife and two little children. My ex-student, in her message, sounded completely shattered – just inconsolable… It was as if there was nothing left to live for. “Sir, everything has been taken away from my life… My life is empty”… She kept pouring out her sorrow, anxiety and pain…

I remembered my Mom… who, too, lost her husband in her forties, but continued to live for nearly 42 years since that blow. But, sorrow – the sweet sorrow – never disappeared from her heart… It lived along those years to celebrate life in honour of her husband…

“The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life,” says Russel M. Nelson…

Let’s read that again… The choice is clear!

Just when 2024 was coming to an end, we heard about the tragic plane crash in South Korea, which killed 179 lives! Many of them were coming home to celebrate the New Year… Many families just taken away in one blow!

They had almost reached home…




I had mentioned about this tragedy to my ex-student just to remind her, that life wasn’t still over for her… There was still a lot to be done and lived for… a lot to celebrate…

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic’s: Pixabay

 

Video: South China Morning Post

Comments

Ashish Srivastava said…
Life is a cyclic event! perpetually we give in to the circumstances which actually are only passing, with a breakneck speed. This too shall pass..
January 1, 2025 at 10:55 PM
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