The amazing role of parenting

Today I saw a Tamil movie - "Thavamai Thavamirundu" that was a sentimental movie that highlights the role of parents in our society. While arguing with an eastern european and few americans, I was posed with questions like why do we still want to live with our parents??? I'm amused.. Why should not I love to live with my parents?

Parents are an amazing people in our society. They sacrifice so much so that we can rise. Even if it means herself to go hungry, our moms would never make us hungry. Our dads, who could not cry for a big injury can wince and weep if half-a-dangerous injury occurs to their kids. For many of the parents, the entire life revolves around their children. They take too many pains to get us educated with values. They try to inspire, motivate, teach... and they r the source of most things in our life. But, I feel pain when I see so many kids leaving their parents uncared for. They who had gifted us everything are not given a small inch of our affection.... They who had willing give us even in times of despair are not given anything in our times of prosperity. I vividly recall a thirukural verse,

"EnNanri Konrarkum Uivundam uivillai,
Seynanri konra magarku"

There can be a redemption for any sin, but they who had forgotten to return back the good deeds done by others to them, have no chance of any redemption (excuse my poor recall & translation skills)

More than just helping our parents in return for their favor, the services that we can do for the family gives us a sense of purpose of life. Unlike most people, Indian commoners dont question the purpose of life. They have it ready... When u r a kid ur purpose is to obey ur parents, when ur young u listen to teachers, when u grow up u serve ur kids... and this is the whole purpose of life. It is so simple.... Hinduism doesnt require you any great deed to reach heaven. IF you just do your duties to your immediate family, you can reach highest possible heights. I recally a small story here:

"A great Indian saint once asked GOD who is His greatest devotee. The saint expected the answer to be himself, but the GOD stunned him by saying the name of an obscure women. The saint who was so well versed and scholarly and devoted was astonished and he went to see that women. He was surprized to see a women caring for her husband and when she was drawing water from well, her husband calls and she immediately leaves the bucket and runs and bucket stands in the middle of well defying gravity. The saint so stunned by even the earth stopping before the most devoted and patient wife was even more surprized when she directs the saint to an even more great devotee. That guy is a butcher - someone from lower caste. The saint even more astonished goes and meet that guy, who after doing his butcher job, faithfully takes care of the needs of his parents. For him, the GOD has no obligations. He does what GOD requires him to do and so GOD has him as the greatest devotee"

The moral of this story is that before we seek to change our world, we need to change our immediate family. IF each one takes care of the immediate family, there wont be any need for governments, laws, religion and social rules.

We should be happy to have a great purpose for our lives. To forever change the state of our parents, the family and all our relatives. Recalling a famous shloka forming the afternoon Sandhya prayers,

"I shall hope to see all the greatess well a hundred years,
I shall hope to live well in prosperity a hundred years,
I shall hope to live well with my relatives and family a hunred years,
I shall hope to taste life happily a hundred years".

Let our family show the purpose of our dark and dull lives. Our family is not a burden in a modern livestyle (even I once saw the family like a windsail, it allows you to move witout doing any work, but if you want to move fast enough it would restrict your motion) it is more of a celebration of our livelihood. It lies in the soul of our greatness.