My grandmother sadly passed away on Sept 9th. and left me (and all her other grandchildren) with this big,gaping void of emptiness.This emptiness, rather this shock was so intense that I am not able to still grip the fact that she is no more! Another hint to me about what a great shock it is for me is that I find myself being able to put words to my thoughts and feelings only today,7 days after her demise and after her ashes have already been offered to the holy river Ganges in Haridwar!For me, I feel the loss was more pronounced because I had had the honor of spending a few years of my life with her in her and my grandfather’s house.Part of this is also because I left soon after my marriage and came to the U.S., only to meet her after a gap of a couple of years at a time.Each time I went back, I saw her health deteriorated, as if the slow decline over the years ( and in my absence),was being shown to me in fast forward mode.
She was also the last of my grandparents to leave me, leaving me stolen of the precious treasure of life we kids value the most: grandparents love in our lives.What makes grandparents great is the way they lavish love on their grandkids, they have time and they make time to share time together which is a precious gift of love and trust.It is well known that a sense of family unity,belonging, and warmth doesn’t just happen. It is nurtured and grown over time, just as a lovely garden flourishes in the hands of a caring, diligent gardener.My eyes brim over with a million memories right from bathtime to storytimes to picnics to ailing times when they could hardly feel themselves breathe as they prayed for my well being.Times where they literally held my tiny fingers and showed me the way to times when they morally educated me to life’s many ways and its responsibilities, customs and traditions to follow and ways to conduct myself right out in the world.From Grammar lessons in Language arts to lessons by being ideal role models of good, honest citizens, the list is endless, as it must be.
I am shocked by the cruel reality life and the world so ironically presented to me.I was incapacitated to travel and make the journey to India due to a complicated ankle fracture I suffered on the evening of 4th Sept.For my own grandmother, who had always stood by me at all my good and bad times, especially at my bad times, I was never really there for her.
And to me it seemed as if the rest of the world, (barring her immediate family, of course) did not know, did not care, that she was no more.I may be blamed for being biased, but even at that risk, I have to say that My Badepapa and Bademummy i.e. my grandpa and grandma were one of the few very pious,wise, gentle, good, honorable, honest, kindest persons I have ever known in my life. If people such as them can pass away and apparently it makes no difference, I shudder to think how far I have to go in my life to even make a scratch!People around you are really nice to you at your face or when they know you are around but whether you really made a difference... who knows. Today I understand the deep concept I have had several opportunities to hear as excerpts of conversations between my parents, both of whom have always tried to impress upon me that one should always be good to each and every person one comes across in everyday life coz’ ultimately THAT is what matters. Needless to say,it never sank in as effectively as it has now.Religion, summed up to me, is right there, be a good human being.
As Charles S. Spurgeon said,” A good character is the best tombstone.Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered.Carve your name on hearts, not marble. “ The name of my grandpa and grandpa will forever be etched in my heart and soul with the utmost respect and love.
I urge everyone who is reading this to join me as I offer my humble but most sincere prayers to bless my grandparents with the best...a place in heaven or eternal peace.
I thank God for blessing our lives with you, we carry your blessings and love in our hearts forever and ever and know that you do not leave us alone but enrich us with your loving presence in our minds and hearts always.
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