The warmth of old hands"

"The warmth of old hands"

Raghav received a call at 10 pm. He was working in a coffee shop after office. He saw – it was his mother's call.

"I am busy right now, I will talk later," he said and disconnected the call.

The next day morning he saw that his mother had called again. This time he picked up the call.

"Son, how are you?" There was a slight tiredness in mother's voice.

"I am fine, mother. There is a lot of work in the office. These days I don't get free time."

"Son, when will you come to the village?"

Raghav asked to avoid the call, "I will see mother, there is a lot of work."

Mother remained silent for a few seconds, then said softly, "You come once son, I want to meet you."

Raghav felt that there was some strange pain in his mother's voice. He thought that he had not gone to the village even once in the last five years.

The next day, he booked a flight to go to the village.

As soon as he reached the village, he saw his house from a distance. But it was not the house he had left behind.

Where there was hustle bustle earlier, there was silence now.

Mother was sitting at the door, there was a light smile on her face, but there was no sparkle in her eyes.

"Have you come son?" Mother said lovingly.

Raghav hugged mother. He felt that mother's bones had become prominent, and her body looked weaker than before.

"Mother, why didn't you tell me that you were unwell?"

"Son, I wanted to meet you, so I called you."

Raghav started feeling guilty. Was he really so busy that he couldn't even see his mother's pain?

The next morning Raghav went out in the village.

Wherever he went, he saw only elderly people everywhere.

Ramcharan Kaka - whose son was in America, was himself going to the hospital to get his medicines. The neighbor Amma – once very cheerful, now filling water with old bones.

Malti Bua – who was sitting alone and looking at the old photo of her children.

"The children are very good, they are just busy," everyone used to say the same thing.

Raghav felt that this loneliness was not just of his mother, but was the truth of the whole village.

The next morning, mother did not eat food.

"I am not feeling hungry son…"

Raghav got worried.

He took mother to the doctor. The doctor told –

"She is not well, she needs emotional support. This loneliness is spoiling her health."

Raghav's heart sank.

"Did my busyness bring mother to this condition?"

At night, mother slept, but Raghav could not sleep.

He sat in the courtyard and started remembering his childhood.

It was the same mother who had hugged him to sleep when he was scared at night. It was the same mother who had made hot parathas for him while getting drenched in the rain. It was the same mother who had stayed awake all night to take care of him even when he had a small fever.

And today, when his mother needed him, he was "busy".

Tears welled up in his eyes.

"I can't leave mother alone now," he promised himself.

The beginning of change

Raghav planned to visit the village every month from his office.

But he wanted to do something not just for his mother, but for the elderly of the entire village.

He started a "Senior Citizen Help Center" in the village.

🔹 A team of doctors used to come every month.

🔹 Cultural programs were held for the elderly.

🔹 Family get-togethers were organized to connect children with their parents.

Slowly, changes started coming in the village.

Children started visiting their parents.

Warmness returned to relationships.

Maa was no longer alone.

Whenever Raghav came to the village, Maa would be happy to see him.

"Son, now it feels like I am really alive!"

Raghav held Maa's hand.

He felt the warmth of the old hands - the same love, the same affection, which he had once had but which he had lost.

One day, there was no sound from Maa's room.

Raghav rushed inside.

Maa was sleeping - forever.

There was peace on her face, as if there were no complaints now.

Raghav's tears rolled down.

But he made a promise -

"I will do something for every mother who is alone."

Moral:

"In our busy lives, making time for loved ones is as important as breathing to live.