It was a hot summer day. My son just came home from school. After finishing his home assignments, it was time for him to take a short nap. It is a great privilege for me to assists him in whatever I could. I’d sing him a lullaby, which would coolly put him to sleep peacefully. I would watch him sleeping from near, very dearly. Somehow I was reminded of my childhood days.
Since my Kindergarten days, I had the privilege of living away from home in our relatives places. I’d stayed in their places, which are miles away from home. This practice helped us in many ways, mostly on financial grounds, as we could not afford good schooling. This staying away from home gave me immense joy and experience in my life.
It was during the night, I mostly craved for home. The touch of my parents and grandparents along with my siblings was deeply missed. Many times, I remember lying in a pool of my own tears. This was NOT because my relatives were harsh to me. It was just that I missed home. The smell of home just passed through my senses. I was just a lonesome child far away from home. I can recall my cousins ‘sympathizing’ me as best as they could.
Summer holidays are welcomed with great excitement. For a short stay at home we would walk miles with gaiety. Once I told my parents, I’d already shed enough tears for the love of them that I wouldn’t shed no more tears in their departure. However, I realized that it was far from the truth. When Daddy was diagnosed with cancer, I regretted going to the city for pursuing higher studies. I told him straightaway I spent too little time with them.
Home that’s where the heart is! The corporal punishments and scolding for better behavior was still sweet from parents, not from anyone other than them. In a matter of time, we all become grownups, which make it necessary to start making our own living and fight for our survival. At that point of life, it was impossible to stay together if the pasture was thinning away with time. Even now we lived faraway from home. We need to find our own way of sustaining life.
For someone, I know, it might feel not worth telling or uncalled for. I find it to be indispensable. We need to remind ourselves what we’ve been through. It is simple but close to my heart. Your comments and experience, if available, would be appreciated. Let me reiterate here again that;
Home that’s where the heart is!
