Parents’ gift to their children

One reader is awed by her parents’ sacrifice for her and her sister, and looks forward to the day when they are reunited as a family.

SACRIFICE. It is a rather huge and important word. What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you hear this extremely deep word?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, sacrifice means an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. To me, the most accurate definition of sacrifice is my parents!

Many may say it is the parents’ responsibility to bring up their children, therefore there is nothing great about the sacrifices they have to make in order to provide for their children. But what any parent wants is to always provide the best for their children. So, think about all the sacrifices they have made in order to do that.

I am the eldest in my family, and I have one younger sister. My parents are not rich but they are the most hardworking people I know.

They sacrificed their life as husband and wife to live far apart – for their children’s sake.

My mother, being a nurse, has lived and worked overseas for the past 20 years. She had to go through the heartache of leaving her family behind and live a lonely, independent life in a foreign land just so that her children could get the best in life.

She never once allowed my sister or me to feel the absence of a mother in our lives. There were days when I had a tough time, and all I wanted was to hug my mother and feel safe. Although I wasn’t able to do it physically, hearing her voice over the phone was something very soothing for me.

My most treasured moments are receiving her at the airport on a yearly basis and spending four to five precious weeks with her. There has never been a year in the past 26 years of my life when I didn’t feel special on my birthday. I have 26 special birthday cards and gifts from my special lady.

Despite having to go through all the difficulties, my mother also had to put up with nasty comments from people who never understood her intentions. She had to bear with people saying that she was a terrible mother for leaving her children and was never there for them.

I thank God every day for giving my mother the patience and strength to go through all the negativity and remain focused on her purpose for making all these sacrifices in the first place.

According to my paternal grandmother, my father was a person who constantly needed people to take care of him in his younger days. He was a person who wanted his mother or sisters to do things for him. Also, he was a very protective, quiet and strict man. When the time came for him to start on his career, he went all out to get a job in the banking line. He was blessed to obtain a job in that field.

He was also a dedicated hockey player. So from being a person who constantly needed a companion with him, my father made the biggest decision in life to live with just his children and be apart from his wife. There is not a thing my father has not done for my sister or me. I’ve heard my friends telling me that their fathers wouldn’t even lift the plate that they have eaten and place it in the sink.

In contrast, my father wakes up early to prepare good and nutritious breakfasts for us. He cooks just so that his children can enjoy their favourite dishes.

He prepared us for school. From ironing to shopping for groceries, he did it all by himself. There were days, being immawe ture children, gave him a tough time, not knowing how his day had been and what he had gone through. Despite all that, my father always remained patient and took care of things to the best of his ability.

Throughout all these years of living apart, my parents’ only dream and motivation for their sacrifices was to make sure my sister and I succeed in life and have proper careers.

Their dream came true last year when both their children received their scrolls on stage. Today, they are proud parents of a doctor and an engineer.

All their sacrifices have paid off. My sister and I still have so much to do for our parents. I am not sure if I will be able to sacrifice as much as they have, but I promise I will do my best.

To my appa and amma, S. Thambirajah and T. Jeyanthini, all I want to say is, thank you so much for all the sacrifices and for never giving up on us. I can’t wait for us to be back as a family and live a happy life together once you both retire. Kohila Devi and I love you both so much, and we will do anything for your happiness.