*Old Age Homes- Harsh Reality of 21st century*

Once an old man went to a phone repair shop with his phone and asked the man standing at the shop to check the working of phone, man said, "phone is completely fine", old man replied, "then why I am not receiving any call from my sons since last 2 years?, this is the story of today's world where we are neglecting our old parents, depriving their right to get love which we have received from them. Eighty-year-old Leelabai Lowatkar from one of the old age home, opened her heart and shared her story dejectedly: “My son threw me out of the home because his wife did not like my interference in their nuclear family. My daughter brought me here because she, too, was not economically well off to look after me.” When she was young and ready to take on any challenge, Leelabai had worked as a maid to provide the basic facilities to her children. Then, she never imagined that she would be confined to an old age home even after shaping up future of the two children. 

Just try to remember our past days, when we took birth from womb how much trouble our mother had gone through? When we were tiny kids, who could not speak and do anything but loving parents so nicely took care of us without thinking of themselves, how many nights our mother had remained awake so that we can have sound sleep. How parents have fulfilled our desires to have clothes, good food, to have toys, then schooling, college and graduation it's just unimaginable, they have only supported us, provided us whatever we required. Why so much sacrifice, so much struggle, just so that they could be thrown away from their home when they become unproductive? Parents love is considered to be pure because it doesn't have any expectations and demands but they have only small desire that our child should take care of us when we become invalid. But their ruthless and ungrateful children send them to old age homes where they feel worthless, neglected and hopeless because nobody is there to give them love. Yes, old age home will provide medical facility, good food but who will give emotional fulfillment, money can't buy love. Like Leelabai, there are many seniors with the same background. With the pain of separation from their families, they are counting remaining days of their lives miserably. 

Are we running away from our responsibility towards elders in our families? Have we become so selfish that we consider seniors in our homes useless? This is not an Indian culture, scriptures never taught us this, there is no mention of such a thing called as old-age homes in Scriptures, this is just a sign of ungratefulness. Those who send their old parents to old age homes they go through various problems, like they miss the years of experience and wisdom from them, there is no one in home who will teach children the good habits and culture and give them love of grand parents, there is no one to support and guide on crucial stages of life. They are the main pillars of maintaining culture in society. And such people who give up their parents should not wonder if their children also send them to the old age home, as you sow so shall you reap.

We should be grateful to our parents as well as our eternal parent, God, for providing us love, care and all necessities. Just like people abandon their parents, similarly they abandon God from their life, but who suffers ultimately? They themselves only. So let's not give up our parents but give them love and  care just like they have given us when we were in need, now understand they are in need.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa