Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Filial Piety

I was prompted to revisit this blog after a long period of silence.. Prompted by a recent heart to heart session i had with a pure soul. Hence, the subject of this post.

Have you ever wondered what happens when you get old? Do you notice some old people who are super grumpy, cranky and obviously angry with the world? Do you think they lived that way all their lives? Or did something happen along the way which changed their behaviour completely?

If you ever stop to have such a conversation with a soul older than you, please do ask how their childhood was. Perhaps they were married once, and their other half has left to meet his creator, leaving her behind to fend for 15 children single handedly. Did they laugh often growing up? Had enough to eat? How would she had supported them - unable to go out and work for fear of leaving the smaller ones behind, she would have stayed home to ensure there was enough to eat, that the children were safe and taken care of. Which means she would have never worked outside for a single day in her life. Not many people can be enterprising under very stressful or traumatic situation. Most people choose to either fight or take flight. In the case of the single mother who was forced to raise her 15 children all by herself, she chose to fight.

Fast forward that scenario to another 30 years ahead, with all the young ones now employed, married with children of their own. What leaves that single mother with? Having sacrificed all her life for the wellbeing of her children, does she go to the streets now? Or does she go out to look for a job after 50 over years of not having worked for the benefit of her offspring? Who will employ her to do what?

Her lifetime of carrying her babies has now caused her back ache and from hours of standing to do house work and running after her children, she now has leg pain in her joints. With old age, new friends starts to visit, Ms Arthritis peeps in to greet.

How does one give back to such a person? By dropping her off at a home where she can be with those with similar unfortunate situations? Leaving her to remain bedridden so that she can be of no trouble or on the way of your own life?

Again, if you would just fast forward the exact situation to another 30 years of your own life, put yourself into that same situation, how would you feel? If you think of yourself as a "better" person that that same woman discussed above, think again. Who are you to be the judge? The ultimate one sits above us who knows our very thoughts and our hearts, HE will decide. So think..