"Mamu", says a small voice and my heart melts every time I hear it.
Whatever be the mischief, whatever be the loss is all forgotten when I
hear that. This is the attachment to my fist cousins daughter that I
have met for a total of 25 days in her 2 year old life. There is always a
sadness when I realize that I have to leave her tomorrow or the day
after. Kids generally have this effect on you. All of the world's vices
tend to dissolve when you see a small kid smile and run towards you.
They tend to bind you to everything. You get charged and motivated to
face the world just for their sakes. All the philosophical and spiritual
talks about detachment and worldly bindings don't make much sense when
you have someone to call you mamu or a chachu or a daddy
around you. In my limited understanding of the human ties, I figure a
mother must find herself even more attached to her kid, than anyone else.
I recently met a woman, rather took her blessings from a distance, whose courage is at least a 100 times mine. Maybe she has understood the meaning of life and detachment beyond what I can accept. The story is about a 50 year old woman. She and her husband have struggled and lived happily for the past 25 years of their married life. Their condition was less than modest. Beginning with sewing clothes for their neighbors to finally managing to put up their own cloth shop, a few year back. Life hadn't been kind on them in a lot of ways. They had been struggling to have a family as well. 21 years after marriage they were blessed with a kid. A cute little baby boy. The mother was recently diagnosed with last stage liver cancer. She was going through hell as nothing she would take in would stay in. After a lot of attempts she decided to take Santharo. Taking a Santharo means that you give up all food and worldly possessions and renouncing the world. After 7 days of fasting the lady took diksha, formally renouncing even the attachment to her kid and husband. She would continue her fasts till she meets death. The day I had met her there were hundreds pouring to take her blessing. In them was a toddler, quite unaware of what he was doing there. Every morning, afternoon and evening he comes to visit his mom, who is clad in a white dress sitting on a wooden bench, which he is not supposed to touch. He very respectfully wishes her "Mummy, Jai Jinendra". All he understands is that his mom is going to Gods house. He might not be able to grasp the event in totality as yet, but my heart cries out every time I think of the mother. Wouldn't she be feeling the same pain every moment of her living life that I feel when I am leaving my niece. Is it that she has understood the real meaning of detachment?
My head bows to her just for her courage. I admire her husband too for allowing this. On her part, she might be correct in renouncing everything, knowing that she will be leaving soon, but will I ever have so much strength?. Will I ever grow to understand life to such an extent, that a 4 your old kid wont be able to distract me, pull me back? The question is self introspective, maybe for all of us. Maybe it is the right thing to do, maybe it is what the sages have been preaching to us since ages. Will I ever rise to that level? The question remains to be answered. For now my prayers rest with the family and my heart reaches out to the kid. God bless them all!!
I recently met a woman, rather took her blessings from a distance, whose courage is at least a 100 times mine. Maybe she has understood the meaning of life and detachment beyond what I can accept. The story is about a 50 year old woman. She and her husband have struggled and lived happily for the past 25 years of their married life. Their condition was less than modest. Beginning with sewing clothes for their neighbors to finally managing to put up their own cloth shop, a few year back. Life hadn't been kind on them in a lot of ways. They had been struggling to have a family as well. 21 years after marriage they were blessed with a kid. A cute little baby boy. The mother was recently diagnosed with last stage liver cancer. She was going through hell as nothing she would take in would stay in. After a lot of attempts she decided to take Santharo. Taking a Santharo means that you give up all food and worldly possessions and renouncing the world. After 7 days of fasting the lady took diksha, formally renouncing even the attachment to her kid and husband. She would continue her fasts till she meets death. The day I had met her there were hundreds pouring to take her blessing. In them was a toddler, quite unaware of what he was doing there. Every morning, afternoon and evening he comes to visit his mom, who is clad in a white dress sitting on a wooden bench, which he is not supposed to touch. He very respectfully wishes her "Mummy, Jai Jinendra". All he understands is that his mom is going to Gods house. He might not be able to grasp the event in totality as yet, but my heart cries out every time I think of the mother. Wouldn't she be feeling the same pain every moment of her living life that I feel when I am leaving my niece. Is it that she has understood the real meaning of detachment?
My head bows to her just for her courage. I admire her husband too for allowing this. On her part, she might be correct in renouncing everything, knowing that she will be leaving soon, but will I ever have so much strength?. Will I ever grow to understand life to such an extent, that a 4 your old kid wont be able to distract me, pull me back? The question is self introspective, maybe for all of us. Maybe it is the right thing to do, maybe it is what the sages have been preaching to us since ages. Will I ever rise to that level? The question remains to be answered. For now my prayers rest with the family and my heart reaches out to the kid. God bless them all!!
