Hola Everyone…………………….
The night was haunting me like anything. It was 6pm, Karen knocked my door I did not want to open the door, although I went and opened it, she understood when she saw my face that this definitely has to do something from yesterday.
She said “Say, what is it? what is bothering you? Is it about your education sponsorship?
Of course, she asked me a very polite way.
I rather than answering asked her,” your son did his masters abroad right? How did you manage to pay for his education? Did you take any kind of loan? You are the only bread earner of your family right ? You also have a girl to raise and as I remember, you are a single mother!! (BTW she lost her husband couple of years back in an accident)? ”I added –“ bear with me if I am sounding rude, but I want my answers in order to calm myself and live a life without asking questions to myself, I am tired of this wired feeling“. (of-course I felt this way since last night, but it felt like years have passed)
She said, that is fine, yes my son is abroad, I did want to apply for my son’s education loan, I needed your parents’ signature in some paper as I am their employee, but your parents’ are not only rich but also kind, they sponsored my son’s education.
I was like what!!!! Are you serious?
I asked her, how rich is my dad? she said laughing “as rich as sponsoring 10 children’s education abroad and equally living a luxurious life and even more.”
I knew I was rich, but I did not know I was this rich, ops I mean my parents’.
I asked her again, what does your son wanted to become?
She said he wanted to be an efficient data scientist back then. I asked again “were his dreams not fulfilled if he would have done his master’s here in India? Do not take me wrong, I am not blaming you or anything, it is just a general question I want to know. “
She was quite for a few minutes as if I have asked her the entire amount my dad paid her.
She said hesitantly may be …………………….
I asked her again “does your son know or even bother that you might have taken loan and it would have taken your entire life to repay?”
I mean, I understand he did study to get good grades, but is that enough?
His success today is not his, it is more because of you than him, now he is living in states with his girlfriend and he is not even a data scientist, he is a senior data analyst and it’s been 3+ years now right ? Has he ever thought of thanking you and asking if you need money or any help? Has he at least said, “I am all what I am because of you”?
She said nothing, but with every question I was asking her, my aim and decision was becoming firmer and clearer to me.
She said, I have never thought that. We must take care of our children even if they are technically adult, but we forget about our parents, I did the same with my parents. I think it is karma.
I laughed and said, don’t blame your karma, it is your deeds that is doing this, you could have said it all to your son, but you still have time for that you should rectify it while educating your girl.
She said, I do not think I can do that, else my girl would say, I did everything for my son but not for her.
I was like what the hell!! Just because she would think bad you would spend your entire life repaying the loan, if at all she wants to go pursue her education abroad like your son, which I am sure she will.
You know what, we are responsible for our deeds.
After a prolonged silence for about 10 minutes, she asked me, what have you done, if you would have been in the same place as that of my daughter?
It was like the arrow I shot came back and stuck right in the middle of my heart.
So, what do you think guys? What I would have replied….
To know more, stay tuned…
Till then Do widzenia…………………….