I Do Miss Them...

It was only when I entered my fifth grade that I knew everyone had a relation called dad &

mom. But I know lots of them without both. Indeed lots. We play with each other during

evenings, we study together, we eat together. I never felt bad without my dad & mom. Why

should I? I get food thrice a day. I get books to study. The Father in our church advise us daily.

What else do I need? Why should one need a dad & mom? I had my doubts at first. If everyone

had both of them, where are mine? Why did they leave me? I once asked our Father. He told

me that he got me from the roadside. How could anyone leave me on the roadside & go?

Maybe I did something they didn’t like. But still, was I so bad that they left me once for all? Even

convicts get a second chance in court. I wish I could meet them-not to ask them to come back &

take me with them. But to ask them a few doubts which are in my mind for years. How can they

be so merciless to throw me away as a baby? If they cannot bear my responsibility, why did

they give birth to me? Did they think that I could survive in this selfish world all on my own

throughout my childhood? Now I am in eighth & I go to school everyday. Yes, I do tell I am

happy without my dad & mom- except during the mornings when most of my friends enter the

school after a sweet kiss from his mother & evenings when they run at the stroke of the last bell

into the hands of his father for a lovely hug. Yes, I do miss them at those times alone. Often, I

make a lot of mistakes in my homework to be taken to task by my teacher. I used to wonder

how my friends finished them perfectly only to find out that their dad& mom helped them out.

Yes, I missed them then too. And once when the school closed for vacation, I was walking back

slowly to my church. One of my friend, Raju asked me about my plan for vacation. Before I

could answer, he started blah blah about his tour with his parents to some place.. err.. ya..

Bangkok it was. Silly Boastbag! Though I dint know in which part of the world that place was, I

wished I too could go somewhere with my parents. I missed them at that time too. Then once

when my exam results came, I topped the class ahead of Raju. His dad picked him early that

day for an outing. He got a watch as a present it seems. I had no one to take me anywhere. But

I didn’t need a watch anyway. We already have a big one at our church & a still bigger one at

school. But I missed my parents that day too. Rest of the time, I am happy with my church,

Father & school. After all, am I not a grown up boy? My dad & mom left me to my responsibility

when I was a baby. Shouldnt I keep up their trust in me? I can manage without them. Guess

they will be preoccupied with their work in some part of the world. I am not angry with them. But

still, somewhere deep within, I do wish they were with me atleast for a day.. Just to know how it

feels.. to get a mom’s kiss.. a dad’s hug.. to be fed by them.. to sleep between them in a cold

night.. walk beside them holding their fingers.. atleast once..

-Dr. Aravind Menon