A Bitter Reality

Quite Thought Provoking… (this was sent to me by a friend)

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineerand joined a company based in USA , the land of braves and opportunity. WhenI arrived in the USA , it was as if a dream had come true.Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would bestaying in this country for about Five years in which time I would haveearned enough money to settle down in India ..My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the onlyasset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick andlonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents everyweek using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years ofBurgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 yearswatching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee valuewent down.Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 daysof holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got myticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoyinghopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then therewill be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through allthe photographs of girls and as the time wasgetting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was time toreturn to USA , after giving some money to my parents and telling theneighbors to look after them, we returned to USA ..My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she startedfeeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a weeksometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing.After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and agirl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents,they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.Every year I decide to go to India ... But part work part monetaryconditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distantdream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriouslysick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go toIndia ... The next message I got was my parents had passed away and asthere wasno one to do the last rights the society members had done whatever theycould. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing theirgrand children.After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and mywife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for asuitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the propertyprices had gone up during all these years. I had to return tothe USA ...My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay inIndia ... My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife Iwould be back for good after two years.Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my sonwas happy living in USA ... I decided that had enough and wound-up everything and returned to India .. I had just enough money to buy a decent 02bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for theroutine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me andgone to the holy abode.Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after stayingin India , had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing more.I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damnedcable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing theirvalues and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my childrenasking I am alright. Well at least they rememberme.Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will beperforming my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still remains'was all this worth it?'*********