National Parents Day is celebrated in many countries on the fourth Sunday of July to honour the unconditional love, sacrifices, and guidance of parents in their role of raising children. It complements Mother’s Day and Father’s Day by recognizing both parents together. But, in families sadly fragmented by ungrateful, insensitive and uncaring children, the question being asked is, “Who will take care of you in your old age?”
People ask that question as if having children were an insurance policy against loneliness or abandonment. Life has shown that it doesn’t always work that way. There are parents who gave everything, who sacrificed their dreams, who worked themselves to exhaustion for their children… and still end up growing old with an empty heart. I know of large families having as many as seven children. I imagined seven reasons to keep moving forward. And yet, when the difficult years arrived, not one of them was truly there.
Because having children does not guarantee companionship, genuine love, or care in old age. True love is not born from obligation, nor from blood alone. It is built with respect, with presence, with values, and with sincere affection. There are people without children who are never alone, because they planted friendship, kindness, and genuine love in the hearts of others. And there are also those who, surrounded by large families, feel completely abandoned.
Old age should not be seen as something to fear, nor should children be viewed as a guarantee of care. There are families that shift old and ailing parents to homes for the aged. And brothers and sisters who send a single and surviving old mother or father to each other’s homes because they are tired of the responsibility of looking after them alone. No one deserves to be loved out of obligation. In the end, every person reaps what they have sown in life. And the most valuable companionship will always be the kind that comes from true love, not from duty.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him in the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward in a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work.
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