What's important in life!

As I park my car on the driveway, I see Appa sitting in the porch. At 6:30 pm? Should he not be watching his usual television programs, switching between channels, jotting down important events of the day and weather for days ahead?

I walk up to him and ask, “enna appa inga ukkandhundu irukkel? (why are you sitting here Appa?). Before he could respond I notice a white envelope in his hand. Millions of things run through my head in a split second. He quietly extends his hand and hands me the envelope, and says “please buy a new microwave. I think I have damaged it”. I ask, “what happened Appa?”, while handing back the envelope. His response was, “I was using microwave to heat up something I bought today from the shop. I didn’t realise it had a metal in packaging. I overlooked and it burnt the microwave”. I ran to the kitchen, sure enough the microwave had black and gray burn marks. I told him to be careful in future, as he was alone at home during the day. For which he responded, “I know. I shall buy you a new microwave. I am sorry”. I said to him that microwave was the least important stuff and that he was precious. I had not changed the microwave, as it was working.

Why did I choose to write about that incident now? I don’t know, but felt like it! I was on a cleaning spree the past week or so. Yesterday happened to be “cleaning the microwave” day. My microwave after scrubbing, lost the burnt marks, that stood as one of the memories of my greatest love in life, my Appa. Materialistic possessions mean nothing over one’s aged parents and in laws. I have witnessed instances where elderly people have been so upset and guilty that they have broken or damaged something, belonging to their children. One day, all of us will be in similar situations. I feel I already am on my way to being one soon. My Amma, couple of years before passing on, said to me one day, “I should stop wearing silk sarees. I am starting to spill things on them”. She was visibly upset. I said, “Amma they are your sarees. Continue to wear them every day like you do. Don’t worry about them getting soiled”. Little did I realise she’d go soon after, leaving behind all those for me in near new condition. Every time I wear them, I feel I am being wrapped in her love. I feel I am becoming her.

Be gentle to the elderly, shower love, give them company that they long for. I wish I had more time with my parents, because I have matured over the years and have so much to share with them, but the time is gone.

“You should tell people how important they are to you; not because they could leave at any moment, but because they are here NOW, and it is worth saying something”