There are many of us who came across the seven seas seeking a better life for ourselves and our families. The American dream was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
We left our families, our relationships, and our lives behind to pursue this dream. And with all the good, also came distance, heart break, and a lifetime of guilt.
I learned of my Dad’s passing at Frankfurt Airport, as I headed home to say my final good bye. A million people around me, and I was the loneliest person in the world. That is something I must live with, every single day.
Today, a dear friend makes that arduous journey to India, as his Mom, on a ventilator, lies in an ICU. She waits for her son to come home, so she can start her final journey. I know his pain. I know his heartbreak. I know his tears.
Life can be so hard sometimes. And so unfair. “I’ll never hear her voice again”, was the thought from the broken heart of a loving son. How do you respond to that? We can share a tear and accept the finality of death, and a life well lived. Yet, the loss will take a lifetime to sink into the psyche. Life can be so unfair sometimes. And it leaves an aching pain, that never goes away.
About Hemant Rustogi