Burdened by Love: When Parents Become Strangers in Their Own Home
Introduction:-
Today, my wife and I are standing at such a juncture that we are scared to even go back to our house because the house, which was once mine, has now become my son's. Today, our children are afraid of us staying in our house. Our saying anything to them seems like an intimidation to them. The children who used to bring joy to our house have grown up and snatched our self-respect and our love from us. Now we feel like strangers in our own house. We never thought about our dreams and our needs in front of the happiness and needs of the children; we provided them with everything that was once beyond our control. We were never able to find time to make our careers because all our time and effort would be spent fulfilling the needs of the children. My wife did not even think about making her career in front of the upbringing and care of the children. She feels that if she goes out, there will be negligence in taking care of the children, which she absolutely does not accept. She sacrificed her happiness and dreams to fulfill the dreams of her children. Today I felt very sad when my son said to his mother, Mother, what else do you want? You are getting all the things for free just by sitting here. You and your father sit idle the whole day, because you will get food anyway, what is the need to do anything else? Just scold the children all day. Mother, why do you keep scolding the children? If you cannot stay here quietly, then go somewhere else. Anyway, you have become a burden. You cannot do anything on your own. You cannot even get up and sit. Hearing this, tears start flowing from my wife's eyes, and I can do nothing except wipe my wife's tears. Today, the insult that my wife has faced is responsible for it. Somewhere, I am the one. Maybe I made some wrong decisions, for which we are suffering today. That is why I cannot do anything for my wife's respect because now I also do not have that much strength. I can live by renting a house. I feel like leaving this house right now. But we were helpless and had to swallow the bitter pill. When my brother came to know about our plight, he was very sad because he had forbidden me to transfer my house to my son. After all, later they would not even ask about you, but I had too much faith in my son that the house would be his after my death. What if it happens first? I thought that no matter what happens, our children will not stop loving us, but I was wrong, and so was my decision. Because my brother's house is still in his name. The children serve him well,l and the children also listen to him because all the children have greed in their hearts. They think that the parents may transfer their property to another brother. Due to this fear, all the brothers serve their parents. Today, children are concerned with money and property, not with their parents. They do not realize their responsibility and duty towards their parents. They always want to take from their parents and do not even give them love and respect in return. So today we came to the ashram, saddened by our son's words, where we met my brother. Today we are scared to go home, the house where we used to forget all our tiredness and be happy. We are scared to go to that house where we used to spend every penny of our savings. The house that we had decorated with great love, today that house looks alien. Today, after staying in the ashram the whole day, we are going to our home in the evening, that too just to sleep. We want to go. But our feet are not supporting us in going home. At one time, our feet used to move towards home automatically, and today it seems as if we cannot go home, but we cannot go anywhere else either. Finally, we reach home before nightfall. As soon as we reach home, the daughter-in-law's taunts start. In the morning,g the daughter-in-law starts scolding my wife about her son, and at night. I came to the room after some time. They start raining taunts on my wife. There are so many things that I don't even know. My wife is hiding so many things about the children inside her. Tired of the taunts and quarrels of the children, we decided that we would go to an old-age home. Then we thought that if we did this, the children would be defamed in society. Even today, a mother is thinking about the respect of her children, even after being insulted. Do parents have no life? Parents do not tolerate even the slightest negligence in the upbringing of their children. When children grow up, they forget that they too, will need respect and care at a certain age. The right with which children sit at home today. That house is not of their earnings but of the earnings of the parents, in which they do not even have the right to live with respect. If children cannot give anything to their parents, then they should not take anything from them. At the very least, they should be able to live with respect in their own home.
My wife and I were thinking about what to do now. It will become difficult for them to live like this. Should we go to court or to an old-age home? It is becoming difficult for us to decide. When parents are alive, children do not care for them; they seem like a burden, and after their death, they will prepare many types of dishes for their offerings. They will perform their shraddha. They will get a Dharamshala built in their memory. If this care is shown towards parents, then old age will not be difficult for any parent. Or there should be a son who does not care for the parents' money or property but cares for the parents' love. Such sons are found very few and lucky. Those who get them care less for their son and consider responsibility more. At many places, the relationship between parents and children crumbles. What is the mistake? Where someone's situation is such that nothing is understood, but whatever it may be, human values should be kept in mind. And one should fulfill one's responsibility.
FAQs Section
Q1: What is the central theme of this story?
A: The story explores emotional neglect, generational conflict, and the erosion of respect between parents and children.
Q2: Why did the parents transfer their house to their son?
A: Out of love and trust, believing their son would care for them after their passing—not realizing the consequences of premature transfer.
Q3: What message does the story convey?
A: That love without boundaries can lead to exploitation, and respect for parents should never be conditional on property or wealth.
Q4: Is this story based on real events?
A: While fictionalized, it reflects real societal issues faced by many aging parents across cultures.
Q5: What can families learn from this?
A: The importance of empathy, communication, and honoring the sacrifices of parents before it's too late.
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