a prayer

Last night, I cried. I learned how the father of a very dear friend is battling for his life in the ICU. I feel deeply for my friend. Having gone through the pains of watching my father helplessly and slowly slip away almost ten years ago, I cannot bear for anyone to feel the same way. At that time, I knew I will not be able to survive the same ordeal ever again. We are at a stage in our lives when, as we are getting old, our parents are also getting older. Such is the circle of life. They took care of us, nurtured us, as we grew up and somewhere along the way, the roles have switched. We find ourselves taking care of our parents, providing for them and as I have done recently with my mother, bringing them to their doctors. There is this realization that the perfect and steadfast people I looked up to and regarded as my rock when I was a child are vulnerable after all. Used to be that I cannot imagine life without my parents, the very same people whose hands I clung to while I was attempting my first tentative steps, the very same people who brought me to school on that momentous first day, the very same people whose pride meant the world to me when I graduated from high school and in a few years, college and med school after that.

Today, I join my very dear friend in fervently hoping that her father pulls through. And I say a little prayer for all parents, that they may know how much we hold them dear, and I say a little prayer for us, that we may be able to show them our appreciation for giving us life.