Beloved Marwahs

13 October 2007.  

Hi, This is me - a carefree mother of two lovable brats, wife to a no-nonsense, extremely practical husband & a friend of many (well, I hope so!) Today was my parents Anniversary. While wishing my mum, we started talking and recalling the "good ol' days". As my parents had moved to the capital city, they were totally on their own with very little family support in the new city. My mum has done a very commendable job of raising her 5 children while fulfilling all her obligations to her extended families.

This was essentially due to the help and support she got from her neighbours, namely from our next door "Aunty". Whenever mum travelled, this magnanimous lady would sleepover, help us to school & was there for us when we returned home for lunch. I can never forget her smiling face. Its such a coincidence that after her death, her husband moved to the city I now live in. A lonely man as his children were all settled far & away. I would visit him when possible especially around festivals. An 80+ man & a young woman in her thirties:- we would talk for hours on end on every conceivable topic. Politics, religion, sex, children, drug abuse etc. He is one of the most well informed gentleman of his age I have come across. God bless him.

Today, without ever planning or meaning to, I feel that maybe I have in a certain, small way paid my debt to the care & love bestowed on me by my wonderful neighbour. It also made me realise that what goes around, comes around. We pay our debts in this life itself. So, lets be careful of what we take from others as we never know when or in what form we'll have to return it to them.

Though a part of me feels that I was still the bigger "gainer" as I had the opportunity to learn so much more & brighten my life with our monthly interactions. In eternal gratitude

 More next time.