Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Just make that call

During my evening walks in my apartment complex I get to interact with many senior citizens. They have their own groups and many a time, I am pleasantly surprised by their zest and enthusiasm for life. As is the present day scenario many of these elderly people stay on their own either out of their own choice, or because their children are settled abroad and hence feel comfortable to live in a gated community or for various other reasons. However all of them meet up for luncheons, they plan outings together, they have their spiritual gatherings every week etc., In general, they are enjoying their life to the fullest.

When I meet them the talk invariably turns to the topic of their children and their grand children. They tell me  with great pride the achievements of their grandchildren, the prizes they won at school / college or the drama that they will be taking part, so on and so forth. More than anything else they just wait for that one phone call from their children and grand children. The day they have had a call, one just knows. They are so full of happiness that they just cannot stop beaming with joy. Physically they might be away from their children but  their heart is always with them.

That made me realise that how much a phone call means to them specially at this point of their life. Many a time however we in the prime of our lives are so very busy with our own work and other responsibilities that we somehow invariably intend to call up people who matter the most to us but end up procrastinating. We mean to call but we don't. So, go ahead and just make that call. Bring that joy and make their day. Won't you?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

False claims! I am one disillusioned adult who strongly feels all relationships are mutual.
I am one daughter who would call her mother if not twice at least thrice a week. My in-laws received the weekly call plus video conferenced with their grandson at least once every two weeks.
The calls from my mother disappeared into the thin air the day after I advised my mother that I would be making a trip home...a long overdue one and first one after the birth of my child. I would call regardless and the conversation was cut short using the excuse that she was 'busy'.
The generation before ours has strange sense of aggressiveness where they think they are the ones who define happiness including that of their children long after they are grown up adults. I refuse to believe they need that call to reach out to them after my attempts to get my parents to overcome whatever fears or inhibitions they have of my upcoming trip. Sad but each trip has always been like this!..met with disent.

shobhana shenoy said...

Sorry to hear about this. At some point in life I hope that things will work out between you guys.