The Crow and The Father
A Quiet Afternoon
I was sitting with my laptop in our front garden. My 80-year-old father came and sat beside me. Like the plants around us - some dried up, some still alive - my father was aging. He sees less with his eyes and speaks a little slower now.
The Annoying Question
Father: "What is that?"
Son: "That's a crow, dad."
Father: "What's that?"
Son: "Dad, that's a crow. Don't you see?"
Father: "What is that?"
Son (angrily): "Oh my dad! Why are you asking the same thing repeatedly? That's the crow! I am saying it again and again! Don't you understand?"
Father went silent. He left the chair and went inside the house slowly. I felt relieved, thinking his age was becoming a burden.
The Old Diary
Later, my father returned with an old diary. He asked me to read it carefully. The pages were old and dirty with time marks. On one page, written in big letters:
"Today my three-year-old son asked me the same question 23 times - 'Dad, what's that?'
I replied 23 times, 'That's a crow.'
Every time I dragged her in my chest, hand on my head, not bored at all. Rather, seeing the smile of surprise on her face filled my heart with joy."
I stopped. The page turned blurry as tears filled my eyes. I remembered how in my childhood, I learned to recognize crows, trees, and the sky. Yet today, I had threatened my father for asking the same question repeatedly.
The Realization and Apology
I closed the diary and went to my father with my head down. "Dad, I made a mistake. I behaved very badly. Please forgive me."
Father didn't say anything. He just kept his hand on my head, as he used to in my childhood - with the same love, the same silent love.
The Important Lesson
"Our parents become like children when they grow old. Their repeated questions are silent love calls for us."
💭 Remember
They taught us to speak, walk, and recognize the world
🤗 Be Patient
They were patient with us - now it's our turn
❤️ Show Love
Their repeated questions are calls for connection
Time for Reflection
⏰ Last Time?
When was the last time you hugged your parents?
🎯 Today's Chance
Today could be a new beginning with your parents
💝 Your Turn
Can you repay their endless love and patience?
A Message to Remember
If your parents are alive today, give them your time and patience. If they are no longer with you, honor their memory. They are the reason you exist. The circle of life continues - today they need the same patience they once gave you.
"Be to your parents what you wanted them to be for you when you were young."
