Hi ,
Everyone who is far away from parents on jobs jobs
should have to read this
heart-touching mail !
ONE BEDROOM FLAT...
WRITTEN BY AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER..
A Bitter Reality As is the dream of most parents, I had
acquired a degree in Software Engineering and joined a
company based in USA, the land of the brave and
opportunities. When I arrived in the USA , it was as if
a dream had come true.
Here at last I was in the place where I wanted to be. I
decided I would be staying in this country for about
five years in which time I
would have earned enough money to settle down in India
.
My father was a government employee and after his
retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a
decent one-bedroom flat.
I wanted to do something more than he could. I started
feeling homesick and lonelyas the time passed. I used
to call home and speak to my parents every week using
cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two
years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos
and 2 years of watching the foreign exchange rate,
getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.
Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that
I had only 10 days of holidays and everything must be
done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in
the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually
enjoying shopping for gifts for all my friends back
home. If I miss anyone then there will be talk. After
reaching home I spent a week there, going through all
the photographs of girls and as the time was getting
shorter I was forced to select one candidate.
My in-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have
to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore
holidays. After the marriage, it was time to return to
USA. After giving my parents some money and telling the
neighbours to look after them, we returned to USA .
My wifeenjoyed this country for about two months and
then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of
calling India increased to twice in a week, sometimes 3
times a week. Our savings started diminishing.
After two more years we started to have kids. Two
lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the
Almighty. Everytime I spoke to my parents, they asked
me to come to India, so that they could see
theirgrandchildren.
Every year I decide to go to India . But in part work
and in part monetary conditions prevented it. Years
went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then
suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were
seriously ill.. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays
and thus could not go to India ....
The next message I got was that my parents had passed
away and as there was no one to conduct the final
rites, the society members had done whatever they
could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away
without seeing their grandchildren.
After another couple of years passed away, much to my
children's dislike and my wife's joy, we returned to
India to settle down. I started to look for a suitable
property, but, to my dismay, my savings were short and
the property prices had gone up during all these years.
I had to return to the USA ...
My wife refused to come back to the US with me and my
children refused to stay in India .... My 2 children
and I returned to US, after promising my wife I would
be back for good after two years.
Time passed by, and my daughter decided to get married
to an American and my son was happy living in the US
... I decided that I had enough and wound up everything
and returned to India ....
I had just enough money to buy a decent 2-bedroom flat
in a well-developed locality.
Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the
flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My
faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy
abode.
Sometimes I keep wonderingif it was all worth. My
father, even in spite staying in India, had a house in
his name and I too have the same, nothing more.
I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA
BEDROOM.
Looking out of the window, I see a lot of children
dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new
generation and these children are losing their values
and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from
my children asking if I am all right. Well,they
remember me, to say the least.
Now perhaps after I die, it will be the neighbours
again who will be performing my last rites.
May God bless them.
But the question still remains 'Was all this worth it?'
I am still searching for an answer...... .........
..!!!
START THINKING
IS IT JUST FOR ONE EXTRA BEDROOM?
"LIFE IS BEYOND THIS ...
DON'T JUST LEAVE YOUR LIFE ....
START LIVING IT ..."
With ever friendly,
SArim
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