திரும்பவும் தம்பிக்கு....

Dear John Rose,

Happy Birthday! I dare wish you all choicest blessings on this great day and days to come, though I do fear that this very greeting may annoy you…

You are in your late fifties and in course of time, you may be retiring too. It seems that you are happy and contended with your ‘family’, its extensions and your professional engagements… But, deep down something must be troubling you or rather prick your conscience, especially with regard to the one who had given birth to you… While going out of the way to do ‘justice’ to your paternal feelings so decidedly, have failed to acknowledge even your filial bondages, let alone the sibling concerns… 

You must be aware that your mother is 80 plus… Apparently she looks healthy, but not necessarily happy… She expects, nay earns for your return ‘home’… You may not be quite willing to look failed, lost… There is nothing wrong for a son to fail before his mother, though she may be the last person to see you fail. If you can’t come down to meet her, she won’t mind, I think, to meet you anywhere, if you prefer so.

Will it not be much better to visit her while alive than come as an alien when everything is over? What hinders you not to visit her… Do you think that you are leaving a good example for your children… Your in-laws may not be quite willing that you visit her… At present you seem to be an orphan having none of ‘your own’… This may be what anyone would like when he/she wants that you depend on him/her exclusively…

You may doubt anyone, if you want, but certainly not your mother who is guileless in any manner. She might have had preferences which don’t warrant such a sanction to this day… Better clear the matter at the earliest while she is still with us… She can’t even think as you people do, nor can she argue to put anyone down, the least you… she only knows to shed tears which you might not have known really… that tears are rolling down to this day, especially because of your self-imposed exile from home…

Yes, you did reach her for some time monthly amounts which she might not have really needed… That is not all a son could do to his mother… she earns to see you… don’t postpone it please… let this birthday of yours be a surprise to that poor mother and let her remaining days be that of contentment and peace…

I may keep this type of ‘correspondence’ even if you don’t mind, but not on our mother again, because no ‘brother’ needs to plead for his mother to his ‘own brother’… At least call her somehow over the phone which may in course of time break the ice…

Now, let it be a matter between you and your mother… and this would be my last intervention as I feel duty bound to let you know of her mind…

Let me wind up this plea, wishing you again all graces from above …