My parents mean the world to me. I don’t believe in a super power. To me the biggest power above me is my parents. There is nothing bigger or important than them.
The reason I decided to work in Palakkad, my hometown when Kavi was carrying ammu, was that when Ammu is born, our parents would be there to take care of her. She would get those values which only a grand parent can give her. We stayed there till ammu was two and a half years old. She learned more on respect and care in those years, than I can ever teach her.
It hurts me every time I read about parents being abandoned their own children. I always wondered, how can some one do it to his own parents??? Those who put sweat and blood together to bring us up???
When I joined Feed The Nation, we discussed on what we would do?
I suggested, we should visit an old age destitute home. The inspiration was from an experience we had some time back at a destitute home..This was called Karunalaya in Cochin. Kavitha, was doing her MSW and had a project visit there. She wanted me to go along on a later visit.What I saw was heart breaking. Old people, all abandoned by their kids are waiting for an early death. That was really tragic.Most of them were found in streets in fatal conditions. They were treated and many had come back to normalcy, still many were in critical condition. The feeling of loneliness, separated from families, not been shown to their grand children ; that was what was killing them...
Many of them belonged to affluent families and their kids were also well off. But they were not taken care of. They showed absolutely no hatred towards their children. Infact most of them were defending their kids.The facility was run by nuns, and they took care of those old people as their own parents. It was tough as many were not mentally stable..When I spoke to them, what they told me took me aback. They wanted no money. They wanted no clothes. All they wanted from us was to spend some time with them every week or once a month. They were missing their kids.
That’s why I suggested destitute home.. You would at least feel less guilty...
We decided to go to Karunyalaya in Bommanahalli, Bangalore.
It was ammu’s birthday and mine too …( we are separated by a day : 15th and 16th March )
The mother superior has permitted us to host the dinner for the inmates on the 16th March.There were 11 inmates and 14 others in the facility.
The entire FTN team was there. They had organized everything for Ammu. A beautiful cake, balloons and celebrations. We spend time sitting with the old inmates, just listening to them as they told us their stories. How happy they were and how they reached here. It touched us beyond what we felt it would.
Ammu cut the cake and after the birthday celebrations, we served them dinner. Simple as it was, they enjoyed it. Did I see tears in few eyes?? I don’t know. But they were touched. Ammu also was serving, and that probably added to their happiness.
We had bought new clothes to all of them. They took it from Ammu as if their grand daughter was gifting them a new dress.
When it was time, there were a lot of happy souls. They all would have had very painful memories, I’m sure. But our presence and care would have given them a night of peaceful sleep.
It was wonderful to be with those elderly ladies...
I feel ammu also carried home some good blessings from them and some lessons on care and respect..
Love Your Parents, cos you dont get a second chance .
Written by : Manoj Thelakkat
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