GRATITUDE TO PARENTS

In India even today, as in the past, the ancient spiritual culture continues to regulate the lives of millions of people.

India’s ancient customs and laws have great significance in modern times but they are often misinterpreted and practiced incorrectly. Ancient laws are still Relevant.

A society’s evolution is not judged by how it treats its glamor but by how it takes care of its old, sickly and vulnerable.

Three things to Respect; Old age, Religion and Law.

Life is dominated by religious custom and beliefs and the majority abide by religious scriptures. The tradition of gratefulness is best evident in children providing care and support for old parents at home making old age and retirement home redundant in Indian Society.

In India, old age homes are only an exception and seen in less numbers. Only a few people having so many duties, responsibilities and other problems send their old parents to old age homes. Even these feel so much of pain and difficulty.

Hinduism is built on duties and not so much on rights. “Speak the truth, do your duty, never neglect the study of the Vedas, do not neglect family commitments but this should not come in the way of offering suitable honorarium to your preceptor. Never budge from truth, nor from Dharma and also pay due attention to your own welfare’. Never neglect your prosperity, study of and propagation of Vedas.” The Vedas show the path to attain both material and spiritual benefits. - Upanishads

Parents are much loved and revered by their children in most civilized parts of the world. Moral life and spiritual values stand in a relation of harmony.

Children continue to respect and treat the old and even senile parents with love in gratitude; for the love, care and time they themselves once received from the older generation. As a result, the old and ailing lives with peace and contentment in their hearts.

The sense of duty is often the result of a feeling of gratitude binding family members together in happiness and prosperity or overwhelmed with grief and sorrow.

Four things are nectar; Milky food, A fire in chilly weather, An honor granted by the king, And loved ones come together. – Panchatantra.

Our parents are instrumental in bringing about many improvements in our lives. We owe our very existence to them, and so we will always be in debt to them.

Parents are a great help to their children, they bring them up, feed them and show them the world.

Parents sacrifice their time, energy and wealth and money so that their children have the advantage of a good education. They provide the basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter and much more, in order that their off spring can live in comfort.

Children, sick are touched with love and likeliness become well. A child is showered with affection and unfailing support. Parents love to cheer up their sons and daughters who are in low spirits. They constantly counsel children with psychological problems. And they keep a watch on their child during adolescence.

Parents settles and establishes their children in faith, makes them learn wisdom, and spirituality, the virtue of generosity.

Charity must Begin at Home. Charity is for the purification of the heart. In learning, good medicine and charity effort is ordained. – Kanchi Swami

Parents with a great sense of responsibility and wisdom, lead their children lives morally and ethically in the right way and guides which is good to them.

Mother is the perceptible goddess. And Father is the preceptor to be honored. Life dedicated to one’s and others welfare is the most desirable for human beings. – Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati Swami, Kanchi

Motherhood is holy and sacred. Motherhood operates not by the moral laws or social codes or traditions; it operates on instinct to care for its young.

Mother gives you contentment. Mother will give all of her heart to her children. Mother is quick to understand her child in every way and tries to fulfill his/her every need.

Mother has patience and tolerance. No mother could look with unconcern when her children suffer pain and grief. She will lower herself or sacrifice anything, in raising her off spring to be independent adults. So her children can have what she was denied as a child.

Before Mahatma Gandhi was leaving for England, his mother made him promise that he would not be drawn towards bad habits and untruth. This is how well a parent can influence a child.

The role of a true mother is to lift her children sky-high without thinking about herself. Bewildered by ignorance, she will not even think or care for her personal humiliation and disgrace. - kaikeyi in Srimad Ramayana

A woman extremely affectionate mother, who faces many disappointments and failures in her life will not allow her children to have the same repeated. This woman with the children, her expression of love may lack a certain tenderness and open demonstration, will teach them to meet difficulties with courage.

The mother eagle teaches her little ones to fly by making their nest so uncomfortable that they are forced to leave it and commit themselves to the unknown world of air outside. And just so does our God to us. – American Minister and reformed Hannah Whitall Smith

Father is more concerned about his children future and get an education. He teaches to respect things and people, guides gradually towards maturity looking at life steadily.

Education is a treasure for the poor, respect for the rich and wealthy, strength for the youth, sustainable for the old.

Some fathers are loving, affectionate, warm and sympathetic, without frightening their children. Those children are well cared, grown as balanced and adjusted adults.

Love is Wisdom, Love is Unselfish.

The boundary between selfishness and selflessness is so narrow that it’s almost invisible. Parents have selfless desire to help their children achieve a cherished ambition and allows them to go their own way.

Children are wonderful companion to parents in every stage of life.

Parents always in their eyes and heart, will be there waiting patiently for their children to come back again and again. No matter how far away their children go to reach their goals and fulfill their dreams.

It is so wonderful to see the world through children eyes.

Some children may be so lucky as to live charmed lives with a silver or golden spoon in their mouths all through their lives, most others generally have to work fairly hard to make a living and have to experience hardships, self-sacrifice, pain and difficulties in many ways.

It is not by choice one is born into a particular family. We cannot select our parents or our family members.

A child is completely cared for by his parents, and thus his position is secure. – Bhagavad-Gita

Parents trying to support their families on reduced resources, fear (or extreme alertness) can have yet another face and a positive value in that it induces us to be cautious and mindful in situations where recklessness or panic could result in injury or loss.

Some parents may be short on patience with the children, restrict freedom and dictate everything. Someone has to retreat and stifle his/her independence, when parents and a child are as essentially different in character.

The basic astrological law is, “Restriction is always followed by expansion.”

Some children are neglected and receive the end of unpleasantness by their parents. He/She may go out of his way, to be kind to everyone as a result of what he has suffered.

A gentle child who experiences many disappointments from his/her parents and family, adapt quietly to conflicting situations. Gradually, leading him to become mentally detached; and memories restricts him from showing his true feelings. But, always he will be there to serve, when there is a need.

A child to live without his/her parents, there is no denying the fact that absence of love and affection and advice of parents at a tender age can be devastating.

An elephant does not find his trunk heavy, nor does the mother her baby. – African proverb

Home to mother, who always understands her children. What makes people laugh and what makes people cry.

No one will share and understand your problems or even offer you much-needed moral support than your parents. Home is where you go where there is no where else to go.

Go to your parents when you’re really in trouble and see how they are. You can smooth away your worries and get relaxed in their presence. Gladly they give you their heart with a warm feeling.

Buddha taught that parents should always be treated with respect that they deserve: Those families dwell with Brahma, with the ancient teachers, with the ancient deities, and those worthy of worship; where at home the parents are respected by their children.

When parents observe their sons and daughters leading happy and peaceful lives, they fill their heart with contentment.

Gratitude is a cultivated trait. Gratitude is an important quality which one must possess. Gratitude is Graceful, Respectable, Affection, Trust, Instinctive, Tolerance, Utmost, Dependable and Eternal.

Some children are really very close to mother and father. They share a strong attachment to home, family and relatives, and leans toward sentiment for both the maternal and the paternal, the whole family. Respect for the wisdom of age and experience.

One who doesn’t betray others, attribute equality in everything, are devoted to their parents.

They show an excellent sense of responsibility, demonstrating their loyalty, gratitude and respect to their parents. They take offense if a negative remark is make about their parents when they make a mistake.

Most of the time, they will be right there beside their parents, enjoying every minute.

Some parents doesn’t want to depend on anyone but themselves for anything. They cannot approve of people living beyond their income. The deeply embedded fear of financial dependence in old age is what makes many of them live so economically.

Finances are no doubt a cause of some concern, but it may be self worth which is the underlying psychological issue. They don’t want to allow themselves undervalued through out their lives.

People normally prudent in spending money, handle cash conservatively. They don’t want to be obligated to anyone for any reason. You never find them throwing away money carelessly.

Family is close to them. Some people find more satisfaction in serving others, giving freely their time and energy. They are just quick to help without being asked when others are in trouble during a real crisis. They enjoy doing favors.

He/She is ready friend in helping others through a rough time. He will walk the extra mile without hesitation. If he isn’t treated well, he will move on quietly, taking only memories.

Parents prefer to willingly undergo the suffering for themselves, rather than their children to suffer.

Parents on account of infirmities of old age, or other reasons, may become unsteady and be in need of help and moral support.

Old people are prone to reminiscences. Old people become tense quite often, keep worrying something or the other. When old, one is attached to anxiety. The anxiety in old age is unending. People’s personalities do change somewhat with age. Heart aches silently for affection.

A health crisis to a family member and any humiliating circumstances distress them. Gloom and pessimism can actually make anybody physically ill. Health crisis can throw life completely out of gear.

Health may need attention for simple ailments. If your parents deserve your attention. Don’t hold back. Offer a few words of comfort to the ailing, attention and care you received in childhood. Fill their heart with emotional security and peace.

When you really love someone all the way through, so much that everything seems to be part of everything else, you understand better how everybody feels. You know how it is with people when they hurt, when they’re lonely. Somehow, you want to share with them your own peace and joy.

Some children behave like parents to their parents with kindly, but stern, cautious wisdom, parents guards the past from neglect and protects the present from confusion, so you can build tomorrow safely. Since childhood, you took care of me with love, and now I will take care of you.

When their parents are old and gray, if there is any need to support financially and morally they will take care of them with love. Sincerely he/she may care for an ill parent, gently showing trust and affection, and always giving a feeling being with them. He is concerned about his father's health. He is much concerned for his father who is bed ridden.

Man lives in the darkness of ignorance and illusion. Inquiring mind sees the reality between Illusion and Reality. Family loyalty becomes important, since You don’t want to disillusion people who are relying on you.

People who smile more are healthier in life and they help others to smile too. A smile at the right time can be worth more than a million words.

It is so admiring and happy to see some children who give lots of love and affection, and do service to their parents with dedication. Their growth in life is very vast. Their thankfulness and gratitude is boundless.

It is amazing to see, crisis will never appear or seen in their lives. Life becomes smooth in every aspect. Problems will disappear like mirages in the desert.

Growing old is the stage when you have more time for your family, leisure, recreation and relaxation.

Home doesn’t normally hold sentimental attachment with some people. But given the chance, they would rather not worry too much about responsibilities. But if reminded and provided, they can shake of their mental laziness and apply themselves to responsibilities. But not whole heartedly.

We often hear the expression ‘becoming proud parents’ as if the mere act of mothering and fathering a child were a great achievement.

Some parents demand love and desire to worship as perfectly natural right. Parents begin to use children against each other. Love and understanding vanishes. They try to cover up their mutual distrust and disharmony by making money and property.

They can’t stand being taken for granted, if the children don’t give much respect and gratitude.

Sometimes they forget that grownup children have their own lives to lead. Especially after they’ve become adults, children are supposed to leave their homes as every individual.

Family members or people you live with may be determined to go their own way. You should be happy, if children feel free to help themselves.

If children have a mind of their own, some parents won’t be happy and interpret it as too much selfishness.

Expecting gratitude is distressing mistake. Gratitude will not come by expecting. Gratitude is a cultivated trait. If you go around expecting gratitude, you are headed with a lot of heart aches.

Some parents really wants love and attention, but he/she calls it gratitude. Instead of asking, longing to be loved, start pouring out love without hope of return. The only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude, but to give for the joy of giving.

The best way to get love is to give love. Without expecting gratitude, give your service or giving, giving gives you happiness.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well being.

Enjoy sound health with simple dietary habits and a jolly nature in retired life. Be happy, cheerful and confident with your spirit. Retire to meditate, only religious or recreational diversions can help in developing tranquility and serenity of the mind.

Strengthen your stronger qualities and develop the areas that you know are necessary to survive.

Sages tell us that a word to the wise is sufficient. The sage is full of love and compassion for all.