I read a story about a lady whose mum couldn’t attend her school matriculation or even buy her nice clothes for the day because money was tight. Her mum promised she would make it up to her at her graduation. But sadly, she didn’t live long enough to keep that promise.
All that lady wished for wasn’t the clothes or the celebration, it was simply for her mum to be there, alive, to witness that moment. And there are so many people who carry that same quiet wish.
Yet, at the same time, there are people who have their families right there with them during their celebrations. Rooms decorated, laughter everywhere, parties in full swing, and they don’t always realise how much that truly means.
Sometimes, what feels like just a normal celebration is actually someone else’s deepest longing.
Oftentimes, we go through our day without thinking twice about the things that quietly hold our lives together. A quick call from your mum asking how you are. Or your dad asking you one question or the other, or your sibling fixing one issue or the other for you. Or a friend being there in tough times. It all feels so normal that we barely notice it.
The truth is, not everyone has that.
For some people, those same things we brush off as just everyday life are the exact things they miss the most. A lot of people would give anything to hear their parent’s voice again, to sit at the table with them, to feel that kind of care just one more time. Yet, some form too busy to create quality time for them.
This post is not to make you feel guilty, it’s to make you wake up a little.
Our parents’ love, their sacrifices, their presence, are easy to take for granted because they’ve always been there. The rides, the advice, the quiet support, the worrying behind the scenes, the reprimands, we don’t always see it fully. But it matters. More than we realize.
Being able to say my parent (s) is/are alive is a reason to pause and feel grateful.
So maybe it’s in the small things, replying to that message, sitting with them a bit longer, saying thank you, even when it feels awkward. Just a simple care.
Because one day, those ordinary moments won’t be so ordinary anymore.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu
