The girl was obviously in distress. Tears were running down her cheeks, Though she wasn't crying aloud. She looked desperate and barren. About 5 to 6 yeas of age, dark and beautiful.
I had just completed my daily morning walk in the park and was about to return when I spotted her. Something struck me hard. It wasn't uncommon to see kids crying in the park and shopping malls unable to find their parents. My own son was lost once and thank God, was found even before i found out he was lost. Thankfully in this country, being one of the safest in the world,children are, almost never, lost. I should say, children born and brought up here are very lucky that they are loved and wanted. That is not the case with a lot of children these days. The world is increasingly seeing refugees most of whom are kids. They have such horrible, shabby, pathetic and unwanted childhoods.
This girl had come with her father and while she was playing he had gone somewhere. She looked for him as far as she could see and started worrying. I tried talking to her. After a few attempts I could understand which language she spoke and was able to talk. It took a while to comfort her and send her back to playing. Since her father hadn't come yet I waited there for a while. Soon he came and I left, unnoticed,seeing the smile of relief on he face.
Coming back it kept me thinking. We believe children's love is unconditional. An infant is delighted seeing its mother. Young children run to their parents when they spot them and they are totally shaken when parents are away. My daughter panics if i am late from my shopping trips a bit late. She tells me she worried that I was hit b a car or someone attacked me. I am touched by t
he love and care. It overjoys me. But i wonder-is that really love that makes all kids worry when the are away from their parents? Or just a feeling of insecurity? Don't the same kids, when they grow up move farther and farther from us? We become of lesser and lesser importance to them. They would soon be happy to move away and start on their own once they are in their teens. So what happens to the innocent, unconditional love? It just turns conditional, measured and selfish.
But what about the parents? They keep loving their kids no matter what. Wherever they are. Whatever they are. Their love doesn't demand anything back. Recently I read a story about an old woman who was kept in an old age home by her son. She spent there years.As she was approaching her final days she wished to see her son. When he came and met her in her death bed she told him she had two wishes that she wanted her son to fulfill. One was to install fans in every room of the old age home and the next was to buy a fridge for the kitchen. When her son exclaimed why she didn't complain about this while she was living there all these years she said "it was okay for me to live in this hot room eating spoiled food, But I worry about you when your own kids send you here on day!
That's love, unconditional.
he love and care. It overjoys me. But i wonder-is that really love that makes all kids worry when the are away from their parents? Or just a feeling of insecurity? Don't the same kids, when they grow up move farther and farther from us? We become of lesser and lesser importance to them. They would soon be happy to move away and start on their own once they are in their teens. So what happens to the innocent, unconditional love? It just turns conditional, measured and selfish.
But what about the parents? They keep loving their kids no matter what. Wherever they are. Whatever they are. Their love doesn't demand anything back. Recently I read a story about an old woman who was kept in an old age home by her son. She spent there years.As she was approaching her final days she wished to see her son. When he came and met her in her death bed she told him she had two wishes that she wanted her son to fulfill. One was to install fans in every room of the old age home and the next was to buy a fridge for the kitchen. When her son exclaimed why she didn't complain about this while she was living there all these years she said "it was okay for me to live in this hot room eating spoiled food, But I worry about you when your own kids send you here on day!
That's love, unconditional.
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