What if there's no tomorrow?

Over the course of the past few weeks, a chain of events have triggered a yearning in me to write this post because of what I've seen and the things some parents do for their children who live overseas. Observations of these gestures triggered memories of my college days where of some of my friend's parents were willing to sacrifice their whole house to fund them overseas for tertiary education.... have you ever thought how we have repaid them??


This post I guess is just a shoutout to children who are living overseas, far from their parents and grandparents, and for those who take them for granted. I am not sure whether many of you know this, but your parents and grandparents truly love and treasure you ALOT! What I've seen parents do when their children live overseas:

1. Many parents wait for their children to call them, and once their child does after weeks or a month of not calling, their face lights up. And you know what, that ONE call actually makes their day for a whole week!


2. Parents and grandparents included don't want to "bother" you when you are too busy, so they wait for the right time to call even if it's something pretty important. And you know they even consider the fact that "oh, he/she must be watching a movie or out with friends now, better not disturb him/her"


3. The classic cases are when insensitive children overseas asked their parents to stay awake till 1 or 2 am to call them because they are busy before that.Sometimes I wonder, busy doing what? You can actually drop a call to them when you are walking to the bus/car you know...


4. When a crisis happens, the children will ask "should I come back?" Most parents usually tell their children "don't come back" because you are busy with work. "It's ok..."but once you agree to it, they actually think you should have but just keep it to themselves because they want what's best for you!


5. The best ones I have seen so far. Some children complain that they are too busy to come back and bring their children to visit their grandparents, so your parents who actually misses you and wants to see thir grandchild takes a 12 hour flight to UK, 24 hour flight to the USA just to see YOU. And do you realize that it's tiring for older people to fly that long, but yet thet hardly complain? You are waaaay younger then them, and you can't do it? really?!?

6. Parents constantly share stories of their children with one another because they miss them, but what about you? Do you even remember when your parent's birthdays are?


And when you do come back, they shower you with the best home cooked food, herbal soups, your favourite food, etc. That one week of your time is what they have actually been waiting for a whole year or more.... I am not saying anything guys, but its really sad when your parents are literally waiting for you to come home or even CALL!


I would like to ask...how is it that we as children, repay them?


- Many make their occasional calls when they "have the time"! And how many of you have actually found your parents calling irritating, or for some not picking up their calls?


- Visiting your parents and grandparents once a year will definitely suffice or maybe for some, once in three years perhaps? At least we "came back to visit"


- When a major crisis happens, we call back and ask "should I come back?" and take our parents answer as a definite, which they will always say "No, since you are busy, it's ok"


- Some give money to their parents if they have, and others don't. Although they truly appreciate the money, I'm pretty sure your parents truly want to see your face more than the money you can give them


What spurred me to write this you ask? Many many observations I have made since coming back to Malaysia, but it's a recent culmination of situations where I've observed how selfless many parents are towards their children that pushed me to finally write a post like this. And recently, many of my friends parents have developed cancer, and many friend's grandparents have fallen ill or passed away.


Please treat your parents and grandparents right, treasure them, because sometimes, you wont know what's going to happen next.You think there's a tomorrow to answer their "annoying" questions when you brush your parents/grandparents off because you are late to meet your friends, or that you will visit next year, but what if it's too late?


A link to how : I would quote a terrible son


The epitome of what I'm trying to say:

xoxo

Meiz

P.S. Selamat Hari Raya to all my Malay readers and have a happy Holiday everyone! Be safe on the road:)