i wish...

i received this touching story through a forwarded mail from a friend some days ago. it may not be as touching to others as it is to me but i want to share this to you...

A simple man tells how his booking an air ticket for his father, his first flight, brought emotions and made him realize that how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.
My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Lufthansa.
The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.
He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.
As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him.
When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me. But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.
As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for football, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have satisfied to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes?
Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us? Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.
Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments. Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children,the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.
Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

my father died almost seven years ago and i am very ashamed to admit that i can not recall any incident that i can say i have made him feel valued or loved or special, somehow. instead, i think i have made him feel disregarded most of the times.
i can never forget the day when i graduated from college. my folks travelled to manila from batangas to attend the ceremony so we went to the Folk Arts Theater, where the commencement will be held. upon our arrival, i went straight to where my friends are with my parents just following behind me. i quickly introduced them to my friends and i started joking with my friends as if we never met for years and forgot that my parents are just behind me with nobody to talk to. when the ceremony was about to start and we all have to be inside, my parents asked me which way to go because the visitors will be sitting separately from the graduates. they were asking me to walk them to their entrance because they don't know the way but instead of giving them their request, i told them to find their way to the entrance because i will be left behind by my friends and ran off.

that incident kills me. everytime i remember that day, i feel like i am the most insensitive, dumbest, bastard, disrespectful son in the world! how can i do this thing to them?!
my father died without hearing the word 'sorry' from me. up to this moment, i haven't even said sorry to my mother. i don't know if they remember that day but i will never forget it and it will always haunt me. the day that i paid no importance to my parents...
i know for sure that even if i give the most expensive holiday to my mother flying on a first-class trip and even if i check her in to Burj Al Arab, it won't erase that incident during my graduation day that hurts me more than anybody else.
i wish i was the man in the story that has paid importance and showed love to his father. i wish i will be able to say 'sorry' to my mother before it's late and i wish i can tell her how regretful i am withregards to that incident though i know for sure that she had forgotten it.

i wish....