Ravikanth and Ramani were a very happy couple. Ravijanth served as a manager in a company and earned good enough. Ramani was a housewife and she looked after her family well. They had 1 son and 1 daughter. Both were married and well-settled. Son in the US and daughter in Germany. Each one had 2 kids. Totally Ravikanth and Ramani had 4 grandchildren. A very happy family was theirs. Ravikanth used to get a good amount of pension. They had their own house with a fence and a small garden. Ravikanth's retired life was quite peaceful. Once away, the children used to come with families, stay for 2 weeks and go away. He felt he never had to worry about anything.

Time flew. He and his wife went to the US once for a stay of 3 months. They went with many dreams. But after going there, they were very much confused with the household work which made them sick as there was no one to talk with or no place to go even to neighboring house. Whenever they tried to say anything to their son or daughter-in-law, they would say they had no time or they were very tired or busy with their offline or online work. The grandchildren too were busy with their laptops, cell phones, digital classrooms etc. So no talk, no walk. Just lead the life. They felt they were surrounded by a gloomy atmosphere.

One fine morning they told their son that they would leave to Germany, stay there for a few days and then go back to India. The son booked the tickets and they reached Germany to their daughter coming out of the clutches of the US. They felt happy to see their daughter and in-laws. For 2 days, everything went good. But as days passed, they came to know one fact. Their daughter went to the office in the morning and returned by evening when the son-in-law went and returned in the morning. The parents were perplexed at this. They could not understand what was happening. The grandchildren used to play with the cell phone only.

One day at the tea table, they asked their daughter why they preferred to go at different timings to their office. And to their dismay, the daughter replied, " Day time we get 1000 dollars less compared to night. So he goes in the night to earn more". Then they asked what was their total salary put together. She said monthly 15 lakhs. Ravikanth, out of curiosity asked her what would happen if 1000 dollars were less. The daughter replied, "You are of the old generation father and you don't know the value of money but you know father money makes many things". At this the parents were dumbstruck.

After a week, they asked her to book tickets to Bharat, their beloved Motherland. They felt relieved and lived comfortably and happily in their own house.

Things were not the same every day. One morning, Ramani did not wake up even after 8.00 a.m. To his shock, he found her cold. He understood she passed away. The children came from abroad and completed the rituals. Then they were to return to their places within a week.

One morning, at tea time, they slowly started their talk with their father. They asked him to shift for a decent old age ashram where he needed no responsibilities to fulfil from morning till night. They also told them that since their mother wasn't there, he would feel aloof to stay in the house. They advised him to sell the house and take his share and live comfortably. The perplexed father had no option but to agree since he was too old and weary to think of anything with the huge loss of losing his wife.

As planned, the children sold the house, took their shares and joined the father in the ashram with only 1/4 of the money as his share. They bought a new phone and told him they would call and talk to him every day and see him in video call. Then they left to their places.

Ravikanth felt sad at first but later felt relieved that people of his age were there to pass the time happily. In due course they all became friends and there was good sharing, caring laughter etc.

During the first month, the children used to call and talk with him over video calls. 2nd month also went on but with few calls like twice weekly. Every day Ravikanth used to tell his friends about his children who called on him daily and enquired about his welfare. Then onwards, there was no call. The friends used to ask him every day to which he replied in negative. This happened for 4 months. Unable to control, he went to a nearby cell shop and asked him to repair his cell. But the technician could not find any problem. The old man insisted on rechecking and finding out what happened saying that he missed the calls of his children since 4 months. The technician searched the call log and found out there had been no call from his children since 4 months. He told the father that the cell was in very good condition. At once the father understood that it was the children's mindset which was not good and not the cell. He asked for another dim with a different number. He changed the sim. He felt happy. He went to the ashram and called his friends and said, "Friends, I am very happy today. Tomorrow is my birthday and we shall celebrate grandly and keep it as a memory". So saying he retired to bed.

The next day he ordered clothes for all his friends, special meals and then in the evening to the beach. They all had ice cream. He felt very happy. He hadn't anticipated a call from his children. He thought that there was no one as 'Our'. Who so ever loves us, care for us and respect us are our people only. His friends took utmost care of him and loved him wholeheartedly.

Thus Ravikanth realised that in old age, food is not a basic requirement but love and affection with care and understanding. He started a new life happily with no regrets and he became, a "Man for all and Man of all". 

.    .    .