Son: A True CNY Story

I had bore witness to this touching experience on two days before Chinese New Year, and decided to tell it to you. Please bear with me if I cannot portray the story well, and please, reflect on it for just a few moments when you finished.

There was an elderly lady, who had worked hard all her life to raise her children. Now, she desires to live in a Buddhist temple with the nun and the other old tenants, rather than staying at home all day with nothing to do, having boredom gnawing at her. Her son, wanting only happiness for his mother, obliged. He would spend every weekend afternoon taking his family to visit her. In a way, the lady was content.

This went on for some months, until the eve of Chinese New Year was around the corner. Wanting to spend the New Year with his mother, he had arranged and convinced the lady to stay with his wife's family and celebrate the New Year together. The lady agreed, much to his family's delight.

However, when the day came, the old lady had a change of mind. She declined the offer to go, saying, "I'm old now, too frail for traveling. Let me spend the New Year in here instead, where it'll be more peaceful and quiet. Go, go without me. I am content here." Dismayed, her son tried to talk her to go, but the lady persisted. Her grandson, the eldest of the man, aided his father in the attempt, but to no avail. When the leading nun of the temple joined in to the lady's side, both father and son knew that they are losing the battle.

The lady's son finally conceded. Wishing his mother a happy Chinese New Year, he turned to prepare his family for the journey to his in-laws place. The eldest grandson thought he glimpsed tears in his father's eyes, and his heart was filled with sorrow. During the moment when both father and son were alone, the shy teen stepped up and wanted to hug his father, for nothing more than silent comfort, but he hesitated, and the moment passed.

Silently, the boy vowed never to have the same dilemma to ever happen to his own parents, for their sake, and his own. He glanced back one more time to his grandmother as they departed, eyes stinging because of the tears he held back.

Here was a son who cannot fulfilled his wish of having his own mother spending Chinese New Year with him. Would you spend more time with your own parents if you had the choice?