Monday, March 19, 2007

A quick tale 180

You shouldn't have

Am I okay? Yes, yes, I'm fine. It's just that am not used to such extravagant gifts. It's a lovely chain, yes is it, pure 22 carat gold it says on the box. But did you really have to buy this for me now? What with the price of gold these days, it must have cost you a fortune. You have children of your own now. That too daughters. You should be saving for them. There will be school and college fees to pay for and weddings to celebrate and hospital bills to foot. You shouldn't be spending money on your old mother. There's that loan on your house. Plus your wife has just quit her job. What was the need to buy me such an expensive present? Haven't you bought me enough already? You could've done something else with it. You could've put the money in a fixed deposit or something. It would've earned you some interest atleast. What good will come of it hanging around my neck like this? Yes, I am happy. Yes, I am thankful. Yes, I too wish I could stop feeling guilty all the time and enjoy something just for once. But still, you really shouldn't have...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brings me back some memories ... The moments I felt the exact same emotion ...
beautifully expressed by you here.

The things that I couldnt tell my anna directly then,
"I am sorry I broke your heart by reacting with a negative surprise on the silk and gold you bought out of your first salary savings! I was astounded because you had a love of your life by then and a mother. You made our parents proud and me guilty! It was better when we always argued and fought. I knew how to answer.

But then I was jealous of you when you made me utterly happy when you wore proudly the Rayban sun glasses I bought you out of my first savings. It made me guilty again that I didnt do the same for you! Huh - I am always ready to feel guilty I suppose!

But I am still learning to accept gifts gracefully. Its hard! I feel bounded by it! You know I like to be free. I know you would understand."

Itchingtowrite said...

it hurts when people don't accept gifts gracefully. I used to feel it is ok to say u shud n't have done this and refuse vehementally but now i hav realised that it pleases the giver more when u accept it with happiness...becoz that's whta i wud wantthe receiver of my gift to do! a lot said, v less spoken

Unknown said...

seems you have met my MIL (amma)!Those are her words...repeated every year... Yet we keep on giving her something...she's worth a lot more than the little things money can buy!

Unknown said...

well thats the mind set of the elders. they want us to be more happy than what we are.
They derive more happiness outta our happiness and this would soon be extinct by the manner in which we guys are living offlate