On one fine day, in a busy Pediatric oncology unit a couple wheeled in their leukaemic toddler. Even for a sick child the girl was like a bright little ray of sunshine and had soon caught everyone's eye with her charm. The parents on the other hand were quite an impressive couple themselves. However, inspite of the general consensus, ironically being 'doctors' does not really make it any simpler to witness your child's sickness. And so was it evident in their case too. The mother soon struck a conversation with the on-duty doctor who was meanwhile also carrying on with her regular rounds. Just then she noticed this sweet humming voice amongst the regular banter in the ward. At first it seemed distant so she paused the conversation with the mother and hushed everyone around to listen to it closely only to notice that the sweet voice belonged to this new little patient of hers who was completely oblivious to the fact that everyone was listening to her song. The kid was glued to her phone all the while humming this song. The on duty doctor couldn't help but marvel at the fact that this girl had this exceptional gift. She congratulated the mother for having encouraged this talent of her daughter. That is when she saw what she had never hoped to see in the mother's eyes. The mother had guilt in her tone when she revealed that she had never noticed that her daughter could sing so well. It was only when she spent time with her daughter during chemotherapy did she notice this talent of hers. The realization that she knew so little of her own child and with her disease she had so little of time to discover something yet more about her, hit her so hard that she gave up everything that she had to be there for this only little person that mattered to her from then on.
As parents we often forget that we are the centre of our child's universe, that they see themselves & their world through our eyes. Do most parents really know their kids? What colour do they like? What flavour ice cream do they prefer? Most importantly what makes them happy?
We live in a generation of sad eyes and happy faces. We have people scurrying around for money or power or chasing false ideas of beauty all their lives, only to land up on a stranger's couch one day with an existential crisis. I wonder how much of that stems back to our childhood! The best appreciation a child could ever get is from his parents. Why not tell your daughter every day that she's the prettiest girl ever so she does not grow up into a woman who tries to seek validation from an unworthy man. Why not tell your son he is capable and worthy so that he does not grow up into a man who's chasing deadlines to seek appreciation? Let us encourage the capabilities and talents in our own kids. This is as important as feeding or educating them. This will enable them to grow into human beings that are whole and secure by themselves. Because they would then know that someone who really matters to them appreciates them.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY LET US DO ALL OF THIS TODAY. We all are just one accident, one blood report or one diagnosis away from realizing that what we 'have' can soon become what we 'had'. We all have the tendency to live in our past or our future. We all are also turning a blind eye to the fact that our time is limited. It is only when the time starts ticking that is when we open up to this brutal reality.
Appreciate the people you are blessed to be with. Love them and let them know now. Give them the time they need. Because a life full of debts is still much better than a life full of regrets.