I was not fortunate enough to meet my father in law because he passed away before I got married. But my mother in law has shared many incidents of their beautiful life together and I would like to share a few with all of you today. It has always been painful for her to remember him but she wanted me to know him as well. Here is why.
He was a very kind-hearted person. He always would be ready to help anyone. It could be the neighbourhood cobbler, our house help, the washerman, his closest friends or friends of friends, acquaintances, co-workers or relatives. Everyone would come to him for guidance or at the time of need.
My mother-in-law tells me that our home was open 24 hours, 365 days for anyone just like his heart. Once she told me that she would prepare more than 50 cups of tea on a Sunday as many people would come to just visit him. I was shocked to hear this. Even our neighbours and his friends tell me that after he passed away, they didn’t have the strength to visit our home. Everyone had such beautiful memories and were so used to his presence that now this place was left deserted. They tell me of the numerous evenings and late nights they spent on the swing where he would sit every day.
When I read the prompt for today, I was tempted to write a fiction but then I decided to write about my father in law. Everyone associated to him whom I met during my dating days or courtship or after my marriage would speak highly of him and had some story to share on how he had helped them or always stood by them in the hour of need. I realised that I was very unlucky at having not spent time with him.
Once our house help was detected with high fever which was highly contagious. Our family doctor advised that he should be sent to his village as my husband and sister in law were very young and could contract fever as well by his presence. But my father-in-law decided against that. He reasoned with other members of the family that the poor man will die if he doesn’t get proper medical assistance or care. He kept him at our home and nursed him as well. It’s been more than 35 years now that we have the same help who takes care of our ancestral home at Ahmedabad even after we have moved to Mumbai. He fondly remembers him and had tears in his eyes when he narrated to me how my father in law would feed him as well while he was unwell.
I always tell my husband we have a huge responsibility and it will be very difficult for us to carry on his legacy. He lived a short life as he passed away at the age of 48, but he will always live in all those hearts that he touched and healed.
Author’s Note: It is the last day of the Write Tribe Festival Of Words. It has been a great experience to participate in this challenge as always. I would like to thank all my readers for appreciating and encouraging me.
I have chosen to write on the picture prompt again, for my Day 7 participation. I hope you liked it.
Here are links to the previous posts:
Day 2: I Enjoy My Job! #WriteBravely
Day 3: Love At Mercy Of A Cheeseburger!
Day 5: Creating Memories On the Staircase.
Day 6: My Most Genuine And Heartfelt Letter.
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Happy Weekend!
