All week I'd been reminded by the TV programmes about Father's Day. It seems none of my offsprings even know about it. After the last khutbah Juma'at and a number of internet postings I guess I can count my own blessings that I have not failed to appreciate my parents' sacrifices to us in their uneventful lives.
The spate of wedding receptions I had to attend this school break only makes me more aware of the unending attention and expenditure that parents spend on their children. And often it does not end there. The cycle continues with the grandchildren. But my wife and I have decided that our resposibility ends with our own four children, that they have to look out for their own children in turn. We'll always love our grandchildren - even now we miss them when weeks go by without seeing them. But we draw the line at bringing them up.
In my time, I always made it a point to visit our kampong house regularly, and always did so for all the major festivities. The loss of our father so soon after his retirement deprived two of my children of ever knowing him. I privately hope that I live long enough to at least know all my grandchildren.
Meanwhile the two of us have resigned to the fact that our two married boys are now too busy with their own lives to pay much attention to us. It remains to be seen if the two remaining children would behave differently once they,too, get married.
We have given our four kids everything they needed in terms of the love and affection, and the education and upbringing in the measure we thought was sufficient. I only hope they in due course, as they now go through life with their own children, would eventually appreciate us.
For now we have to be content that all of them never suffered the worldly wants that I had when I was their age, and that all of them are set with their own careers that should take care of their basic worldly needs for the rest of their lives. Accepting this fact has been my little Father's Day gift this year.
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3 comments:
Cheer up, kazen, many fathers of my generation ( and yours too though much, much younger) faced the same 'letdown' feeling every father's day. Born of an older generation when fathers' day was not well promoted, they don't express their love with presents. special dinner etc. I'm most lucky this year. Abang and Adik bought me a 16GB Apple I-Pad that can among other things contain all the novels i want to read, access the internet, write my novels etc. I felt like being presented a new library suite, hehehe.
Sorry didn't manage to catch you and Fathil at Hal's wedding reception ( his daughter's I mean). Met Hank and Gnanalingam, and Datin Fauziah. See latest blog entry for a brief write-up, So, Zai's wedding coming up next? Adik could be next year. Keep in touch if you will. Salam.
Happy Father's Day Bah......Everyday is your day anyway!!!
We all love you Abah from the bottom of my heart!!! Tak balik tak makna tak sayang...like you said I'm a bit thight with my " basic worldly needs'.... God knows I'm struggling!!
Anyway just wanted to say that I LOVE U & EMAK!!!
Hutang pasti jelas bila masanya sesuai! hehe....
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