*
*
*
*
*
*
*
|
From A Loving Perspective
"Not now girl, Mummy is tired." She then tried asking her father. "Why don't you go play on your own or watch some cartoons?" The girl sat down and thought to herself: When I grow up, and become a mother myself, I will always play with my children whenever they ask me to. Meanwhile, the girl's grandmother fell ill, and they went to visit her. The girl sat there, listening to the adults talk. She heard her parents persuading her grandma to see a doctor, and not to delay any further, but her grandmother would just refuse with a "No need for that, it's not that serious." She could not understand why her grandmother was so adamant about not going. Years later, that girl did grow up, and had children of her own. Her grandmother was still alive, but was in ill health, and had to undergo therapy everyday. On one of those days, she had accompanied her grandma to the therapy session, and they had just reached home. Her grandmother took out her key and fumbled with the lock for many minutes, still unable to open it, all the while mumbling on how after living so many years in this house, she still had problems with the lock. The girl, now a grown woman, took the key from her, examined the lock and opened it, commenting that the lock had spoilt, for the catch in it was a little rusty. A harsh snap came from her grandmother ("No it isn't!"), who snatched the key back and proceeded to enter the house. Tears stung the girl's eyes, who did not expect that. She returned to her own home a little sad. When she reached home, she sat down and tried to comprehend. Her little girl, seeing that her mummy was not doing anything, came up to ask if she would like to play. Her mother responded tiredly, "Not today, I'm tired." She watched her girl turn away, and the little girl, not knowing what else to do, sat down in the garden porch to watch the birds. Her heart was wrung, as memories evoked from her childhood reminded her of the familiarity of that scene. She thought of her own disappointment as a child, and saw the situation from a child's point of view. She recalled her own reasons now, and felt how her mother might have felt that many years ago. Feeling guilty for turning her daughter away when she had been in that same situation, she loved her child more. Regretting that she was too young to understand her own mother's feelings at that time, she loved her mum more. With love in her heart, she put herself in her grandmother's shoes, and saw and felt the hurt in her grandma's pride. She thought about how difficult it must be, for a matron that supported a home in its domestic affairs for more than forty years, to not even be able to open the door of that house. She finally understood why that many years ago, her grandmother would refuse to see a doctor. Pride is the keyword here. As a woman grows older and wiser in the ways of this world, her seniority increases. Her 'juniors' might be more capable in terms of earning money, being technologically savvy, but as a woman, her house is her domain. How wounded would her dignity be, when one day she, as head of her household, fumble at that lock which she had been so trained to opening, to have her grandchild outdo her and still comment that something in her house is broken? What a stab to a person's pride. Now, feeling the pain in her heart for not being sensitive enough, she loved her grandma more, and vowed always to be senstive to the needs of others, to put herself in their shoes, and to see from their point of view and perspective. For she knew, that no matter what their needs or demands are, how they might sometimes hurt her, how they look like etc, she would always love them. Her heart was filled with even more love now, and she realised one more thing. This love was not only for others around her, but also for herself. Love for others leads to love for yourself, for love does not distinguish.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:56 pm
|