“Respect, value and treasure your parents, elders and grand-parents. Cherish their presence in your life, their advice and opinions.”

Swamiji says…

“Neglect, Humiliate, Insult, Mock, Avoid…Ridicule!
Just imagine how traumatized and saddened you’d feel if you were made to literally experience any of these negative terms, in your home, by your loved ones. This is exactly what is happening in most of our homes today, where old parents – whose longevity has increased with better medical facilities and services – are forced to suffer day in and day out due to the indifferent, callous attitude of the younger generations with whom they live. The souls of ageing parents are literally being trampled on and crushed by the erratic and heart-breaking attitude of ungrateful, selfish children. The deafening silence with which their children ignore their requests and needs is worse than any other lethal weapon. Their children’s silence speaks louder than words as it resounds with their anger and impatience at their elders repeated, but, unheeded appeals. Such children are slowly but surely killing the very spirit of those very souls who had brought them into this world and devoted their entire lifetime in raising and worrying about them. Do they deserve to be punished in such an ungainly manner for being dependent on their children in the sunset phase of their life?”

“It breaks my heart to see the ‘I don’t have the time’ attitude that the present generation has adopted for their own flesh and blood. They don’t have time, neither for their parents, nor for their parent’s opinions. At times, a word or something, said by a parent years ago, has hurt them to such an extent, that they refuse to release that memory from the prison of their mind, hold them guilty of it forever, and seek redemption from them by misbehaving and getting back at them at every given opportunity. What has happened to us? Where has the love and respect that our fore fathers had for their elders disappeared? To make matters worse, if grand-parents say anything to their grandchildren that is not liked by them, then, their own children side with their offspring, isolate the helpless elders and make them feel guilty of a great wrong – doing. How can you berate them and make them feel so small and worthless?”

“At times, the minute an old, ageing parent or grandparent, today, is able to muster up some courage and give his opinion on some issue in the house, his advice is rejected out-right and it is made very clear to him that his advice was not asked for in the first place. In their hurry to prove to the old individuals that their advice is meaningless to them, they completely forget that the words of wisdom coming their way from their seniors is only a fraction of the wealth of experience that they have with them. Children, irrespective of their age, are willing to get into an argument with the elders in the family, to prove as to how archaic and old-fashioned they and their ideas can be, and in comparison, show them how falsely modern and forward thinking the next generations are. Do your elders really need to learn about this from you out of all the people they know? What kind of modernity is this?”

“Consider yourself fortunate to have elderly family members living with you, as they are a bank of knowledge of age-old values, of culture and religion, and can with their clear vision, lovingly wipe the drops of disrespect , impatience and intolerance that have impaired your vision. It is possible that they might have offended you in some way earlier, but, let it be a thing of the past now, accept their scolding as ‘pitra-prasad’ and move on. When they rebuke you, check you or correct you, it is more out of love for you. You should take it as a teaching for life, and should have the grace to accept it purely in that manner. Seek their opinion and follow their advice. Spend some quality time with them. Love them selflessly and you will be rewarded tenfold with their unconditional love. Their blessings, which, are your greatest wealth will open windows of unlimited opportunities and doors to happiness and success.”

“Remember, the wheels of time are in a state of constant motion and before long you will be on the other side of the fence – weak, helpless and dependent. Would you like to be treated in the same way as you are treating your elders at the present moment? You only get what you give.”