REPAYING OUR PARENTS – MOTHERS, FATHERS AND ELDERS – Official Website The Morning Bells
REPAYING OUR PARENTS – MOTHERS, FATHERS AND ELDERS
Words take on an extra intensity and meaning when they come from one’s own children. This is the love a parent feels for their child.
Sanjoo Thanjgam
Even if we accumulate great wealth, many possessions, and an esteemed position in society, but if we all show no gratitude or kindness towards our mother and father and our elders then we are without true wealth. To put it simply, we are all without the distinguishing features of good persons.
When we realise the goodness our parents have shown towards us , we should try to repay the goodness with wholehearted effort. They cared for and look after us for many years, so we can in turn look after them in their old age inclusive of our poor elder brothers and sisters. And even if they have passed away, we can still benefit them by performing good deeds and sharing the merit with them.
When we were in school, we should be diligent and put all our efforts into studying and succeeding with the best possible grades, so as not to priced our elder brothers, sisters and our parents as a whole any anxiety. This will also assists us all in finding good jobs and worthy life partners as well.
Moving from there into a workplace, we then have the opportunity to give a hand to them financially or with whatever physical help they might and the society need as a whole instead of passing comments without knowing or rather bearing in mind the ground reality. At this point in our life, we can then start to look after those who are in need of. Our help apart from our parents and elder brothers and sisters in the way they looked after us up until now. Because our parents have our best interests at heart and did whatever they can to guide us in life.
Sometimes, we may find our elders not upto our expectations and see them worrying about their inner welfare only. But we, as their children, in fact, should expect nothing from them in return and instead help them.
The best we can do is to develop goodness within ourselves first and when they see the positive results in us, they will naturally be inclined to follow our example.
It’s normal that in the course of our relationship with our parents, there will be some conflicts and disagreements. But deep in our heart we still have a sense of appreciation and gratitude towards them, even if sometimes negative emotions spill out.
Our parents have shown us great kindness throughout their lives. So if, anytime, we have mistreated them, we should ask wholeheartedly for their forgiveness. We can also repay our debt to them by being cautions with our speech and behaviour.
Since the day we were born they looked after our welfare. They imparted knowledge, raised us, and cared for our needs. So if we speak or act in a harsh way towards our parents , even the smallest thing can have a great impact. Words take on an extra intensity and meaning when they come from one’s own children. This is the love a parent feels for their child.
If our parents have reached a stage where they can no longer look after themselves, it’s now time for us to selflessly give all the assistance we can. We repay our debt by caring for and looking after them with all the kindness in our heart.
And as we perform these types of good, wholesome actions and express our gratitude, then our lives will take on a newfound, inner wealth and meaning. Being supportive of one’s parents, the Buddha said, is among the highest blessings.
The writer is a columnist of “The Morning Bell”