Last couple of months have been quite challenging for us as a family. Despite taking all the precautions, we (my wife, the little one and me) were brought down by the mighty corona virus. I was hit particularly hard and had to be hospitalized for a month (yeah, a month!! and a significant portion of that stay was in ICU). I am still recovering and the path to recovery is a long one.
My brother, who had come to help us, also became Covid positive while I was hospitalized and had to stay in hospital for a few days. My sister-in-law (my wife’s sister), who is a doctor, had also come to help us tide over the tough times. Remember, this was the period when the registered cases and death tolls were at peak and the health facilities in the country were stretched beyond their limits. While I was facing my own challenges in the hospital, I could not even imagine the mental trauma that family underwent during that time. I used to video call them everyday and they did their best to put up a brave and happy face.
This incident is narrated to me by my wife when I returned. While I was in hospital, my son would rarely talk to me over video calls – he would come, say hi and then wander off. This was rather unusual for him but we could never know what goes into the mind of a growing child.
There were times when my condition would make my family very anxious. What was happening around the country was not offering any solace either. My wife accepted that she would cry at times thinking about the worst case possible. And in those moments of despair, many a times our little one would provide solace and calm. He would sneak up from behind and caress her hair saying – ‘It will be okay mummy. Do not take tension. I am here’ The innocence and purity of these words would ease and reassure her beyond explanation.
We often forget that Children are the best teachers to us. Just imagine what a young boy who is not even four would have gone through when he used to see his mother crying, his mausi (aunt) worried and his chacha (uncle) exhausted. No one had told him about my condition apart from the fact that I was not well and am at doctor’s place to recover. And yet, this little child took the responsibility of taking care of the adults of the house unconditionally – he would make them laugh, keep them engaged and also provide reassurances when required. I could only admire the strength of character he had shown. If only we adults were so mature and responsible.
P.S: The day I returned from the hospital, my friend (who had accompanied me back from hospital along with my brother) asked him to thank God even before I entered the house. He immediately ran to the Puja (worship) place and folded his hands to show his gratitude to the Almighty.
And now son, I would try to highlight lessons for you from this episode and believe me there are a few good ones.
1. In your life, you would go on making many relations of your own and carry some from us as well – the relations which are made on the grounds of love, care and compassion are the strongest and provide you the best support when needed
2. Know that even a mere ‘I am here for you’ means a world to an aggrieved soul and gives him/ her the strength to carry on the struggle
3. If someone is dear to you and is in need, it is always better that you expressly stand by his/ her side rather than being a quiet spectator and helping from side
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