Lessons from papa: Newspaper Advertisement

Gopi, Mama's younger sibling, assumes the role of Uncle to Sri.

One day, Gopi Uncle called abruptly and inquired about Sri's well-being. Sri couldn't fathom what could be wrong. Gopi Uncle uttered something that shattered Sri's heart, and he forwarded a newspaper advertisement to Sri.

Sri was astounded as he read something that Papa had been threatening to do for the past few years. Papa possesses a trait of recalling every incident, whether positive or negative, about a person. When he becomes angry with someone, he digs into the past, unearths everything that person may have said or done, and publicly attacks, abuses, and insults them. His way of dismissing others is by tarnishing their image in a detrimental manner. Unfortunately, Sri hasn't been spared on multiple occasions. Observing the affection and care provided by his wife's parents, relatives, and friends' parents, Sri often wonders why his parents couldn't exhibit the same behavior. Papa always treats his children poorly, and Mama takes advantage of situations and behaves stubbornly.

Sri opened the advertisement and commenced reading. In it, Papa mentioned that sending his kids to the USA was a grave mistake since they don't even care about him. He endeavors to convey this message to every parent, cautioning them that sending their kids away will result in losing control over them, and their children will never look back. Furthermore, he claims to have acquired a substantial amount of ancestral property worth millions of dollars. Papa employs harsh words against his children, declaring them to be the worst individuals he has ever encountered. The news contains even more negative information about Sri and Little Brother.

Tears welled up in Sri's eyes. His heart broke. He knew the contributions he had been making to his parents ever since leaving India. He never cared about his own health, wealth, or future. Whatever he earned, he used to send back at least 40-50% of his paycheck to Papa every month. Sometimes, Sri would run out of money and go to bed without food, while on other days, he would seek help from his friends. What a terrible situation!

The newspaper ad caused a sensation among relatives, outsiders, Papa's office team members, and even reached unknown people outside of India. Everyone began discussing it, and the closest relatives who knew about Sri and Little Brother refuted Papa's claims. However, those unfamiliar with the brothers accepted the news as fact and began spreading it, embellishing it with their own negative interpretations.

Upon seeing this news, it became apparent that there was no unity within Papa's family. Papa started severing his own branches one by one, allowing others to speak ill of his family. What a dire situation Papa has created for himself and future generations. Consumed by ego, hatred, and jealousy, he failed to consider the long-term effects of his actions.

Prior to this newspaper ad, Mama suffered a brain hemorrhage and fell into a coma for over 30 days. By the grace of God, she recovered, but she was never the same. Her right side was paralyzed, and she lost her memory. She could barely recognize certain people, including Sri and Little Brother, and certain moments filled with either pain or happiness. Additionally, she was akin to a vegetable, unable to move, eat, drink, or communicate with anyone. Poor Mama had endured a great deal with Papa. Throughout her life, she tried to please him, and in the end, this is what she received.

It is evidently clear that when a person becomes consumed by negativity, ego, hatred, and jealousy, not only do they suffer, but they also inflict misery upon their loved ones. Mama should have learned from observing Papa how his actions affected others, but instead, she joined him in many situations, comparing Sri and Little Brother and speaking highly of Little Brother and his wife Pinky in front of Sri and his wife Rose, and vice versa. This kind of poor communication sparked animosity between the brothers and their wives. It provided an opportunity for both sides to blame one another and intensify their jealousy and hatred.

This does not imply that Mama was a bad or negative person. Mama loved Sri and Little Brother immensely. Sri always sensed that Mama endured the torment, humiliation, and much more from Papa because she always had her kids in mind. She may have believed that if she gave up on her marriage or her life, her kids would suffer from Papa's wrath. She acted as a shield, protecting Sri and Little Brother by absorbing all of Papa's anger. It's true that nothing can replace a mother in this world, and nothing can replace her love and affection for her children.

How beautiful would it have been if Papa had shown empathy and compassion towards Mama, Sri, and Little Brother? People often talk a lot about others in their absence. Instead of succumbing to negative influences, if Papa had used those circumstances to learn about the long-term damage caused to his relationship with his children and wife, he might have taken steps to change his thought process in a positive way, potentially working wonders for his family.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”