The sound of people arguing resonates from the room under renovation around the corner of the street.

The daughter in law said: ‘if I cook slightly bland you’ll say it’s tasteless, now that I cooked slightly salty you’re saying you can’t swallow. What is wrong with you?’ The mother in law just kept quiet and ate upon seeing his son back home from work.

The daughter in law glared at her husband. He tasted a bit then vomits it out again. Then the son replied: ‘I thought I’ve told you before, mom is sick, she can’t eat foods that are too salty.

The daughter in law answered back angrily and said: ‘Fine then! She is your mother. So from next time onwards, you cook!’ and she stormed into the bedroom.

The son sighed, then told his mother: ‘Mom, don’t eat that, I will cook noodles for you.’

Then the mother replied: ‘Son, do you have something you wanted to tell me? If you do, just say it out. Don’t keep it in your heart.’

‘Mom, next month onwards my company will promote me and I will be very busy. As for my wife, she said that she wants to work, so…….’

His mum knew his intention immediately and pleaded: ‘Son, please don’t send me to old folks home.’

Her son became speechless. He was looking for the best explanation then he said: ‘Mom, old folks home aren’t that bad? Food is provided; you will be well taken care of, isn’t it much better than home?’

‘But…..’ his mum wanted to say something, but couldn’t say what was on her mind.

Chao Chao had a shower and ate a bowl of instant noodles. Her son went into the reading room. He stood in front of the window and stared outside for a long time; preoccupied. His mother was widowed at a young age. Bearing through adversities, she raised him into a grown man and supported him in his studies overseas. But she never evaluated all the sacrifices she made when she was young, instead it turned out that it was his wife who threatens her with their marriage. Does he really want his mother to be sent to the old folk’s home? He questioned himself. There are some things he just can’t tolerate.

‘The person who can accompany you for the later years of your life is your wife, how can it possibly be your mother?’ A neighbour’s son once reminded him with these words.
‘You mum is so old already, if she is fortunate, she can live a couple more years, why don’t you make use of these few years to be a very obedient son?’ There was a Chinese proverb which said: ‘The tree longs for calmness when the wind is not subsiding; a child desires to be filial to their parents when their parents are no longer around. That was how his family members and relatives advised him.

He didn’t want to think about it anymore fearing that he would change his mind and become miserable. Night time came; the sun gathered and kept its radiant golden light, resting behind the mountains. A high class old folks home was situated at the towering mountains downtown.

Yes, it is true indeed that the more money the son spends, the clearer his conscience will be. When he escorted his mum into the living room, a 42 inch brand new television was showing a comedy but not a single laughter can be heard from the audiences. Some of them had similar shirts, a hunchback senior quivering as he sat on the sofa looking absentminded and forlorn. There was one elderly who was talking to himself; another elderly crouched down to pick up a biscuit from the floor to eat. He knows that his mother liked brightness that is why he chose a room where it was always sunny. Looking out the window, under the shady tree were fragrant grasses growing lush and long. A few nurses could be seen pushing an elderly under the setting sun; the whole atmosphere was very quiet and heartrending. He still finds the sunset really nice, its dusk already and he let out a small sigh.

‘Mom, I’m….I’m leaving!’ she just nodded her head. And when he was leaving, she waved repeatedly and smiled at him toothless with white chapped lips mumbling with hesitant look on her face. He then realized his mom’s silvery grey hair, and sunken eyes as well as wrinkly face. My mother has undeniably aged!

He suddenly had a flashback memory of his childhood back to when he was 6 years old. That year, due to some matter, his mother had to go back to her hometown and because it was inconvenient to bring him along, he was looked after by a neighbour for a few days. When his mother was leaving, out of fear, he hugged his mother’s leg tightly and cried out loud: ‘Mummy, don’t leave me! Don’t go!’ In the end, his mum didn’t leave him behind.
When he got home, his wife and his mother in law frantically threw all his mother’s belongings in her room. A 3 inches tall trophy which he won first place in primary school for his composition ‘My Mother’. A Chinese-English dictionary which his mother bought him after she accumulated and saved one whole month’s expenditure just to get him that as his first birthday present! And also the ointment which his mother applies before she sleeps, he then asked himself, without him to help his mother to apply the ointment, what is the purpose of bringing the ointment to the old folks home then?

‘That’s enough, stop throwing things away!’ he shouted angrily.
‘There’s too much rubbish here, if I don’t throw it, how should I put my stuffs.’ said his mother in law rudely.
‘That’s right! You should quickly move that lousy bed of your mother’s away, I’m going to get a new bed for my mother.’
A bundle of his childhood pictures laid out in front of him, the pictures of his mother taking him to the zoo and amusement parks.
‘All those are entirely mother’s treasure, nothing should be thrown away.’
‘What is with your attitude now? Speaking to my mom with such tone a loud tone of voice, I want you to apologize to my mom!’
‘I married you and loved your mother. Why is it that you, married to me cant you love my mother the same way?’

It was extremely cold and silent after the rain at night. The street was desolated; pedestrians and vehicles on the road remarkably decreased. A BMW was speeding along the road, frequently running red lights. Upon reaching the yellow box, he vroomed loudly, zoomed off and sped towards the elderly home on top of the mountain, the driver parked the car and went straight upstairs. He pushed open the door to his mother’s room and stood there peculiarly. His mother stopped massaging her painful soles caused by rheumatism. When she saw her son’s hand holding her rheumatism ointment, it was apparent that she was relieved and she said: ‘I forgot to bring it along, thank goodness you brought it for me!’ he walked up to the side of his mother and knelt. ‘It’s late already, I can rub it on myself, you have work tomorrow go home!’

He hesitated to speak for a moment. Finally he couldn’t bear it any longer and wept: ‘I’m so sorry mom. Please forgive me! Let’s go home!’



Impression on this story:

As we grow up, our parents face changes from youthful to frail looking, from black silky hair to white hair, from fast and efficient movements to slow paced movements. How heartbreaking it is! Our parents always give us the best, leaving the most valuable things to us, they are like the candle which never stops burning, radiating their children brightness! What about us? Have we ever given some space to our parents? Or is it that we only think about them when we need a shoulder to lean on?
A part in the story which says: ‘The person who can accompany you for the later years of your life is your wife, how can it possibly be your mother?’ This is truly worthy for us to have a careful thought about it.
Your spouse may leave you anytime, but your parents’ wont. Our parents will forever be our one and only parents, our bond are a lifetime relationship.

In reality, our parents don’t expect too much from us, all they need is a casual greeting asking: ‘Dad, mom, how are you today?’ or casually buying supper for them, cooking a simple dinner, or help tugging them into bed, all these simple actions can make them feel happy and heart-warming for a long time. I once asked my parents, ‘What kind of present do you wish to receive?’ They replied me saying: ‘Your obedience and growth.’ Just then, I was so touched I became speechless and I also felt very penitent. When I thought about myself being dishonest to my parents and my immaturity which caused them so much worries and sadness, I vowed that no matter what happens, my parents and my family will forever be my top priority in my heart.

At times I would think how I expect my children to treat me. As for now, do I treat my parents the same way? I believe humans and the environment are inter-connected. How you treat your parents now will determine how your children will treat you in the future. Perhaps some people are ill treated by their parents, or that the home discipline is very strict causing them to cast doubt on themselves, whether they are their parents’ own flesh and blood. But when you come to think of it, giving birth to you is already a great kindness which we cannot requite this lifetime. In Buddhism, nothing happens by sheer chance, there is a reason behind every encounter and every attachment or ties formed. It is a rare chance to be born as their children, we can never repay their kindness, the only thing we could do to support our parents is to respect our parents and to show filial obedience towards our parents as an act of gratitude to repay them!

When we were young, our parents’ spent a lot of time to teach us how to use spoons and chopsticks to eat. They taught us how to tie our shoe lace, button our shirt, play on the slide and taught us how to wear our clothes, comb our hair and blow our nose. Therefore, when they can’t recall something or cannot keep up with what we are talking about, please give them some time and wait for them, let them think again. There is a possibility that they may totally forget what they wanted to say in the end. Do you still remember how many times you and your parents’ practiced singing your first baby song together repeatedly? Do you still remember how every day they have to rack their brains to answer our bizarre questions? Hence, whenever they repeatedly tell their old stories over and over again or humming their childhood songs of their times, just show your consideration and understanding. We must know that parents longs for the care and concern from their children. If they forgot to button their shirt or tie their shoelace or when accidentally dirty their clothes eating or when they comb their hair their hands shake uncontrollably, don’t rush them, show them more patience and gentle disposition, this is the best way to repay our parents.

If there comes a day when they can’t stand steadily on their feet or can’t walk. Please hold both their hands firmly and slowly escort them. Just like how they used to hold you, walking one step at a time. If we as their children cannot even appreciate them, they will live their remaining years in agony, lost and die in obscurity.

How much time left do your parents have to wait for you?

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