On My 47th Birth day

On My 47^th Birthday  

Dear Children,

Your beloved mother,this morning, tuned in the radio to listen to a famous Kashmiri folk song “Wochum Naie cze hue kahah wfaadaar mougi”.I saw her repeating the lines with the singer. It came to me that she was very true to her sentiments.

She has always the same narrative to tell that her mother is only next to God for her. None on the earth can change her perception .She always keeps saying that she can give her mother her blood to the last drop, and can give her the money to the last penny in the hour of her need. None on the earth can stop her ,she adds.

I always appreciate her attitude towards her mother. Her mother does really deserve it. In fact, every mother deserves it.

Children, your mother often dubs me being mal-adjusted, and socially ineffective. Yes, I don’t usually visit my relatives. I seldom phone them, and ask them about their needs. Yes, she openly reminds me of my indifferent nature.

Thank God! I too have parents. I  believe I have loving parents. They are now in their old age, but I don’t live with them. I pay casual visits to them. They often dial my number to ask about my health, and the health of my children. For me ,it speaks volumes about  their love and care.

In this phase of their life, my parents need my care. My ailing mother needs routine check-ups. She has multiple health issues. She does, however, feel much relieved when her children spend some time with her. She does always crave for such opportunities .This is true about every mother, I suppose.

My father deserves a special mention. He has lived a very tough life. He has always toiled to earn square meals for his family. The only silver lining he had seen during his hard days was in his act of admitting me in a primary school. It was a big decision for him. It was the time when education was a mere luxury in villages .He had no money for my private tutioning, so he would always encourage me saying intelligent boys did not bank upon tutioning.I kept going the school regularly .At returning my home, I would keep busy with books. The smell of books would bring peace to my mind.

It was often discussed in our family that my father had also been admitted in the school, and he had read up to 8^th .His studies had been discontinued only when he had failed to pay the fine of 2 annas owing to his four days absence from school. It was because my grandfather could not arrange the required money.

My childhood passed under the shades of a tough father.He was strict to the core .He would never compromise with discipline. I would never dare to join dinner if I had failed to offer magrib salat. He would advise me to be truthful, honest, and humble.

Our family was economically very weak. My father, despite his all efforts, could not change this plight. I had to join him in work in a very tender age of ten. We toiled together to bring the family to the safer side.

Smile would seldom return to the face of my parents .I remember the day when I completed reading the Quran under the guidance of Maulana Mohi-ud-din. My father had a dream to see me completing my education, and doing some white collar job. He did not know how to plan all this, but his faith in my capabilities was immense.

My father’s dream was realized when after a prolonged wait I got a job.I am now financially well, and living happily with my family. I always bring to my mind the sacrifices made by my parents for me. How can I forget the hard times my father and mother had gone through during my upbringing.

It is only the wearer who knows where his shoe pinches. Nobody’s parents have any flaws. All parents are real architects, so are mine. If somebody tries to finds faults in my parents, I feel hurt. He had my responsibility to shoulder, not the responsibility of others. I salute the wisdom of my parents. They have a special place in my heart. They, as I believe,  can never be wrong .How can a father, and a mother be wrong who shed their tears after keeping away from their son, and gift away their son to the latter’s children.

Today on my 47^th birthday if you believe I have wide acceptance in the society, who should take the credit .I suppose the parents whose prayers and whose upbringing make this possible. I hope you will carry forward this legacy.

                                         With Best Regards

                                                         Your papa