The Golden words of parents that got sketched in our memory

“Dear son if you want to achieve something in life then please concentrate on your studies”. These golden words of my dad still ring in my ear. Similarly, mom also had some favourite lines like “Eat healthy if you want to be intelligent like your dad” or “Please take the blessings of God before leaving for the exam”.

During our childhood, we came across numerous such instances where parents gave us a piece of advice. The irony is that we never took them seriously. But as we grow old and start a family, the same golden words are repeated by us to our kids. We only realise the true worth of those golden words once the harsh reality of life sets in. On the other hand, our growing kids take our instructions in the same way as we did in our childhood.

Fathers in a family are the ones who are more concerned about a kid’s education, sports, and career. Moms, on the other hand, are focused on health and overall grooming. They are particular that their kids learn to respect the elders in the family and love the younger ones. The golden words of parents are like instructions on how to live life happily and enjoy.

The golden words of Mom making kids learn the life skills

Today when my spouse gets compliments for her cooking skills and is asked where she learned the art, she just has a humble reply – my mom. However, during childhood when her mom would ask her to assist in the kitchen, she would make all kinds of excuses to wriggle out of the situation. Sometimes it was exam preparations and tuition classes or prior commitments with friends. Mom being soft at heart would excuse her favourite daughter but only after saying the golden words “One day when I am not there you will realise the importance of cooking skills”. It will not only win your spouse’s heart but also make an impression on his family. How true those words were?

Often when my spouse makes a vegetable curry or a chicken dish, she just remembers her mom’s recipe to cook some mouth-watering dishes. Standing in the kitchen in front of the gas stove sometimes she gets lost in her thoughts. I avoid disturbing her knowing very well that probably she is speaking with her mom’s soul and thanking her for all that she has learned in life. This is a situation that all daughters face once they have started a family or started living independently.

Often my spouse tells me that her mom wanted her to have a successful career after completing her studies. My spouse ignored the golden words of mom at that time. Between raising a family and a corporate career she chose the former. Even today she remembers her mom’s golden words and at times repents why she didn’t opt for a working career.

My dad’s golden words

I still remember when I was in Class 11^th how my dad would ask me to focus on just three subjects – Physics, Maths, and Chemistry. He said that if I can master the three subjects it will be easier for me to clear the Engineering entrances. Incidentally, my dad studied Aeronautical Engineering and became an aviation expert. It’s obvious why he had a liking for these subjects. I did study hard but not so hard as he wanted. As a result, despite appearing for most of the engineering entrances like IIT and Roorkee (In my time Roorkee was not a part of IIT and there were just 5 IITs), I couldn’t get into anyone of them.

I was not the one with the brightest mind but all those preparations helped me in understanding the basics of those subjects. I often use Newton’s laws or Einstein’s theory of relativity in my blog stories and even in my office ppts. The golden words of dad to master the subjects somewhat have paid off in the long run.

Be Compassionate

The other thing he always reminded me of was to be compassionate to people. He would go out of the way to help people get a job or clear the pilot’s examination. He would guide the aspiring trainee pilots and give them tips on what to study and how to attempt the paper. This one quality made him very popular in the aviation field.

The golden words of dad to be kind to people and always help them made a deep impact on me. In my corporate life, I would often help job aspirants appearing for an interview. If they lacked a certain quality, I would ask them to improve on it. I would refer them to my friends in the media circle for any job openings in their organization.

Respect elders and love the younger ones

These are the golden words that every parent tells their kids. On the contrary, the kid’s reaction is always the opposite. They refuse to wish an aunt saying she is very judgmental and always boasts about her kid’s achievements. And when the neighbourhood family visits with their young ones, the kids lock themselves in their room knowing the destructive nature of their neighbours kids.

Today when the kids have become parents themselves, they realise that the aunt whom they used to criticize is the one who cooked food and send it to them while they were in lockdown. Similarly, the kids of the neighbourhood family to whom they were allergic have grown up and now play with their children.

Be God-fearing

It was parents who inculcated the habit of praying in front of God. Whether it is the Lakshmi Pooja or Gayatri mantra that the kids recite today it is all because of the parent’s teaching. The golden words of mom to fold a hand in front of God before leaving for any important work is something that has stayed in the subconscious. Whether it is a job interview or appearing for a school examination praying in front of God before leaving has become a habit. A little bit of curd and a vermillion tika on the forehead is what the kids now practice as parents with their younger ones.

The golden words of parents still echo in the subconscious

My spouse lost her mother a decade back. But still, at least once or twice daily she remembers her mom and the golden words uttered by her. There are times when she feels why she didn’t listen to her mom when she was young. Now as a mother to grown-up kids she practices the same learnings that her mother taught which she ignored.

I was not able to fulfill my dad’s dream of becoming an engineer and ended up in a different industry. But his golden words always echoed in my mind. It’s probably the reason my son became an electrical engineer and went abroad for his higher studies.

We all have listened to the golden words of our parents but seldom practiced when young. However, as soon as we become parents, we start practicing the same. It’s probably the reason why their words are called the golden words. A time comes when the parents are no more around but what stays behind are their golden words.

You can read more such stories on my blog by clicking on the following link:

My Papa is the best and will always remain the best

The caring parents who ultimately need caring themselves with time