A son was feeling the burden of taking care of his ailing widower father. The old man was in his late 80s. Losing the use of his faculties; losing the slow and arduous battle to life. He had withdrawn into a sad and silent shell because nobody would talk to him. Nobody treated him nice. Especially his son’s wife who made him feel unwanted. The wife told her husband they could not carry on the liability of taking care of his father. She insisted they put him in an old age home.
That day came. They took the father to an institution. While the son was busy with the administration, the matron asked if they wanted a room with a TV and AC. The wife shook her head. She said that she didn’t want the father to visit them on festivals and birthdays, either. The old man watched silently. The fear of being alone creeping upon him. His anguish was mirrored in his old and tired eyes. His drooping shoulders. Defeat was written all over him.
Then an elderly Catholic priest approached the old man. Soon they were talking familiarly. With the formalities over, the son hastily took his father’s leave, and the weeping old man was shakily led away by attendants with his few belongings. The son stopped the priest and asked him how he knew his father. The priest replied, “He had come to my orphanage 45 years ago and taken a sickly orphan boy nobody wanted in adoption. That boy is you.”
Moral of the story: Your old Dad does not need a wallet, after shave, a sweater or book for Father’s Day. He expects nothing. He invested time, care and love in you and those have a return date. Don’t break his heart that once swelled with selfless pride for you by rejecting him now. Being there for him in his fading years is your duty. That’s what life is about. He didn’t raise you to be unkind, inconsiderate and unavailable. You don’t know what mountains he crossed, what storms he faced, to make you the person you are. He loved you – so love him now.
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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