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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Just for ONE MORE BEDROOM |
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| amatullah |
| 10/12/02 at 13:01:58 |
| > Just for ONE MORE BEDROOM > > As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in software > Engineer and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and > opportunity. > > When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true. Here > at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be staying > in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned > enough money to settle down in India. > > My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the > only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat. I wanted to do > some > thing more than him. > > I started feeling home sick and lonely as the time passed. I used > to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international > phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at Macdonald's and > pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting > happy > whenever the Rupee value went down. > > Finally I decided to get married. > > Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything > must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest > flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying shopping for gifts for all > my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be talks. > > After reaching home I spent home one week going through all the > photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to > select one candidate. In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to > get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get any more holidays. > > After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving some > money to my parents and telling the neighbours to look after them, we > returned to USA. > > My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she > started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice > in > a week some times 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. > > After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy > and a girl, were gifted to us by the almighty. > > Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so > that they can see their grand-children. > > Every year I decide to go to India. But part work part monetary > conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant > dream. > > Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously > sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to > India. > > The next message I got was my parents were passed away and as there > was no one to do the last rites the society members had done whatever they > could. > > I was depressed. My parents were passed away without seeing their > grand children. > > After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike > and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look > for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the > property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the > USA. > > My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay > in India. My 2 children and myself returned to USA after promising my > wife I would be back for good after two years. > > Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to a American and > my son was happy living in USA. I decided that I had enough and wound-up > every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent > two bed room flat in a well developed locality. > > Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for > the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left > me and gone to the holy abode. > > Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after > staying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing > more. > > I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM. > > Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This > damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are > losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from > my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me. > > Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbours again who will be > performing my last rites, God bless them. > > But the question still remains 'Was all this worth it ?' > > I am still searching for an answer. > > Courtesy : An American Magazine |
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