The Importance of our Relations

Many people do not spend adequate time with their relatives and family members. They are usually too occupied with work. And because it's the era of information technology, there is a smart phone in almost every home. Many people spend most of their time using a phone or laptop.

Everything in life is important, but maintaining a balance among things is necessary. Our parents, family members and relatives are some of the most important people in our lives. They have created and nurtured us. However, some people prefer to contact their relations only during times of need, and forget about them at other times. This is highly regretful. In some families, children shift their parents to old-age homes, without realising that they, too, will grow old one day.

Once upon a time, a man's father passed away and he decided to put the dead body in a bamboo basket. Taking his son along, he went up to a hill and threw the basket with the body down the hill. His son then asked him to retrieve the bamboo basket so that it could be used to carry the man's body when he dies. Upon hearing this, the man realised what he had done and felt ashamed. He brought back the body of his father and then held a proper cremation with the help of his relations. The moral of the story is that we must respect our parents and elders, and remember our ancestors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped us learn many such lessons. It has made people empathetic, generous and helpful, and they're assisting each other during these difficult times as per their potential and resources. So love your parents and relatives, and help them in times of need. We cannot excel in life without realising the importance of our relations.

Narender Kumar Sharma

The writer is a school-teacher based in Joginder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh. Views are personal.

Picture Courtesy: Himachal Pradesh Police Department