Growing older means a lot to them. But, it means even more to them, when we understand their needs...
Dear Son / Daughter,
The day that you see me old and I am already not, have patience and try to understand me...
If I get dirty when eating... if I can not dress......have patience. Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you.
If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one times… do not interrupt me... listen to me.When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep...
When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me...Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to bath...
When you see my ignorance on new technologies… give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile...I taught you how to do so many things... to eat good, to dress well, to confront life...
When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember. And if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me...
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to and when not.
When my tired legs do not allow me walk......give me your hand... the same way I did when you gave your first steps.
And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live any more... that I want to die... do not get angry. Some day you will understand...
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived.
Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you...
You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living.
Help me to walk. Help me to end my way with love and patience. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you son / daughter...Your father / mother
Let us understand their fragile emotions. Put ourselves in their shoes. Treat them the best, for they did the best for us.
Dear amma and appa, I love you...
8 comments:
Geetha,
I am feeling awkward to say so i get irritated inspite of knowing the fact that my parents are becoming older one needs lots of patience to understand them .I pray now GOD to supply me that strength so that i will have same caring hands and heart, patient listening ears .I was emmotional for a minute but we all do mistakes what to do only way out is learn from mistakes. Thanks for reminding me my duty and responsibility .
Sheela,
Yeah, I understand. Sometimes we act out of instinct, not realising that they are our parents.
My pleasure. I needed that reminder myself, if not, we will always take it for granted :)
this is so true.. we'll have to make sure our kids see this too when they grow up!
zara's mama,
Yeap, saving it all for their future readings.
Sometimes, we ourselves don't realise it until the situation is explained the other way round.
Geetha, this is very nice....
baby smooches,
Yeap. Don't you think this reminder is necessary sometimes? While managing our own family, sometimes we forget...
Hi Geetha,
This reminds me of another story. The one where the grandparents are given wooden bowls to eat coz' they are clumsy. And then they find their child keeping one for them too for when they get older. Something like that lah the story.
Many times I have been reminded that my children treat others the way I treat others. It is scary to see them acting and talking like me.
lian,
Yeah, I remember that story.
How true. They are actually watching us. Isn't it a big challenge for us; to be their role model, in all aspects...
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