I will be 72 years old come November, 2011. I was married at quite a young age and have two children. My first delivery was a most frightening, not to mention the morning sickness I went through during the nine months of pregnancy.
It was a consolation when I gave birth to a beautiful girl. She still is- she won a beauty contest and represented the country abroad. She make the family proud.
Two years after that, I gave birth to a handsome boy with dark brown eyes and brown hair.
Both my children, apparently, have become very successful in life. The girl graduated with a Master's Degree and the boy is an engineer with a prestigious shipping company.
My son married someone older than him. I was never told, what more invited to the wedding. After two children, they divorced. My son found out that she was sleeping with another man.
I suppose a mother's blessing is a must. I did not have any inkling that my children would go so far as not to regard me as their mother.
Sometime in 1985, while my daughter was working with a five star hotel, I had to see her to purchase an air ticket to go to Rome with her for a holiday.
She was not around when I arrived, so the hotel receptionist paged for her.
As soon as she saw me, she looked worried and asked, rather fiercely:"Who did you say you are?"
I knew what the answer should be, so I said, " I'm her friend.", to which she replied , "Oh, ok", and then relaxed. A friend? And so I knew that she did not want it to be known that I'm her mother.
As far as I am concerned, I've always been well-dressed, in the sense that I don't wear revealling clothes that can make a sailor blush.
I've realized, a little too late, that I'd made the biggest mistake of my life-spare the rod and spoil the child. And so I've failed because I did not trash the life out of her when she was growing up.
Had I done so, things would have been different today.
Even my son doesn't get in touch with me, let alone send home money to support me.
Nevertheless, I am proud of their achievements and I thank Allah for making them filthy rich, while I live from hand to mouth.
I make a big mistake the other day by calling my son. I explained to him(although he already knew) that I'm no longer earning and needed some financial help.
I reminded him that I had never said no to whatever he wanted, or however much money he required when he was schooling. Name it and he got it-with my gold credit card, uncommon in those days. The same applied to his sister.
His reply was shocking: " I picked up this phone not to listen to all these."
That was it. I did not prolong the conversation and ended with, "Okay son, may God bless you."
My heart sank as I wiped my tears. i had only intended to request a monthly allowance.
I pray that I may become rich again one day. After much soul-searching, I have yet to fathom what offence I could have committed to deserve their cold shoulder.
I lost my mother a few years ago, yet I still yearn for her touch, even though I am this old. Maybe it's because I was pampered as an only child. I wonder if both my children have any conscience...........
What I have learnt from the Holy Quran is that one shouldn't curse because if one lets Allah mete out the punishment, it will be more severe than what you pray for.
In other words, i leave it to Allah to do the rest. I'm sure I will live to see them punished.
My children will realize then what it's like to be alone, and counting the days till Allah calls you home.
By then, money would mean nothing, for what goes around come around.
by Tanggang (Star Sunday, 14th August, 2011 )
The Moral of the True Story:
Be prepared for our own retirement. Never trust our children for financial help. Sometimes, in today's world, the glamour of the world, the rising cost of living, the prestige they want to enjoy, they hardly spare any for the old man and lady that raises them at home.
Not to mentioned the stress that they undergo, makes them wild and unfriendly people.
A Malay Proverb: " Sedia Payung Sebelum Hujan" ( Prepare an umbrella before rains)
Before we retire, keep whatever we have for the rainy and golden years ahead.
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