Dedication of this post is for the kids and children who lost their parent(s) at young age.

Here is a story I am dedicating to every child who has lost their Parent(s). Especially the ones who are young and do not know what will happen to them in this world? This is a writing that tells if you have the will, you can be anything you want to be in this world with or without anybody holding your hand. Read it please, watch it and if you think it might help someone out there please do share it and they can always reach out to me here on the blog if they want to talk to me.

It was a New Year celebration back then. Festival called Ugadi. The whole day went wonderful, while father of that house had to go to work so he left. That night, there was a 17 Year old boy and his 13 year old sister stood by the rails in front of their house waiting for their Dad to come home. Yes that was me and my little sister.

When someone called on the phone and said he got sick at his work place so they took him to the hospital and they are bringing him back in a car…. I thought, everything is alright my elder brother already went to the hospital to take care of him and my dad is going to be walking up the stairs of our house anytime now. Instead when they pulled him out from the back seat of a car and his eyes were shut, and me watching him from upstairs, I knew what it was… I froze, the world spun around, I collapsed and blacked out for a few minutes. When I woke up by myself I realized it that was pretty much the same scene with most of us at home. Yes, that was the moment we lost our beloved Dad. None of we 3 kids were out of our education yet. And my Mother was not working nor would know to work outside our house. My Brother had just completed his commerce degree and was waiting for his graduation. He was looking for a job and had just gotten an offer for apprenticeship which promised him to pay Rs.500 / month which had not even started properly at that time. We had no other resources but a house our Dad built (for us).

People started showing up to our house… consoling us, giving us their shoulder to rest and weep. Telling us everything would be alright. I was confused literally, the reality of my Dad is GONE! Has not set in me, it felt like it was all a dream.

And I don’t remember if I wept a lot, or if I was trying to hold my sister and brother to understand what’s happening… But, I do remember what was going in my mind? That was, if this IS real, then what is next? How are we going to survive in this world? Who will take care of us? What about our education? Who will pay the fee? Who will bring us food? Who will take care of my little sister? For next couple of hours it was a horrifying scene at our house. Again and again, I used to go near my Dad’s body to see if he is really dead. And I saw my little sister trying to wake him up and asking mom why he won’t listen to her, over n over. And little later the time came they had to take my Dad’s body away for the rituals of cremation. Everyone started to pay their respect.

I do remember one thing from that day at that moment. I held on to my Sister and Brother and said these words “It’s alright we will survive without our dad from today, we will not come to streets, but we will stand up, walk, run and prosper in our life”. Turned around, looked at his body and PROMISED this to my Dad. “I will not let your soul go from my heart and mind until the day I succeed in life. I’ll be a Man one day and I’ll make you proud. Without your guidance I will search for my way to success by myself and I will take care of my family. And that would be the day I will be with my family and in presence of them is when I will let your soul go. Not here, but in a very prominent place of this world”.

And the promise I made that day is what made me what I am today. I do not know if I would have been much better with him beside us and with his help and guidance but I do know, I/we turned out to be OK. We educated our little sister to be a Doctor. My Brother turned out to be a best father a son and daughter could ever have (he stood up to be that for us). A best Brother anyone in this world who could ever have.

The day I landed in America as an educated, successful certified professional from IBM. The only prominent place I could think of here was Niagara Falls and that day I decided that is where I would go with my family to let my Dad go.

I waited for this day to fulfill the promise I made. And the God gave me an opportunity and brought my brother and sister to this great land as visitors. And here today we are meeting in Niagara Falls and I am happy and proud to say I fulfilled the promise I made to my Dad.

Today is the day I wholeheartedly let you go Dad. I know you would be proud to see how your kids turned out. I thank you for being such a Good Dad for us in the littlest time you had and for all that you ever did for us. RIP oh our beloved dear DAD.

Yes, be rest assured we took over just where you left off. And yes, We got This.

Good Bye Dad!.

#DontGiveUp