No Mercies for Old Ms. Mercy !

I was 26 years old when my husband died all of a sudden at the age of 35 after a bout of fever. I was totally devastated. I had grown up in a protected environment and till his death, my husband had given me and our children total security. And suddenly I was all alone with three children aged 5 years, 3 years and 9 months. 

That was 1949. He was a supporter of Gandhiji and had donated a lot of his ancestral wealth to the cause of the nation. I had studied only till 7th standard. Fortunately for me and my children, my husband still had left enough landed property and we wouldn't have starved. 

I came out of the shock after some time. I had to come out because I could not have ignored my little sons. I began going to his lands and started managing the house and his agriculture. Since I was a young and rich widow, a lot of people came with proposals for a second marriage. I refused and lived only for the sake of my children.

My eldest son is 68 years old today. He has settled down in Bangalore after retiring from Bank. My second son 66, is an advocate in Kochi. I used to stay with him until 6 years ago. Youngest son is in America. I haven't seen him for 9 years now.

6 years ago, my second son wanted me to share all our property equally between the sons and he wanted bigger share because he was looking after me. His wife was instigating him to get the partition done immediately. I refused and said, "I shall make a will and all that is due to them will go to them after my time". 

That day, both of them held me by the hand and pushed me so hard, I ended up with a swollen wrist. I moved to a convent the next day and I stay with the nuns today. I don't want to blame my daughters in law. But my sons, how can I forget all those difficult days I spent bringing them up ? How can they forget their mother ?

It is possible I was and still am a little strict and a bit finicky. But is that a reason enough to leave me on the roads at this age ? Would it have been possible for all three of them to be so well off if I had not taken care of them well and educated them ?

Lonely in the twilight of life

This is Ms. Mercy, an 89 years old patient in our ICU who is happier to be in the hospital. She has no complaints with her convent life. She still feels bad for her eldest son who is suffering from cancer. She sold off all her agricultural lands in and around Alleppey in 2007 and has deposited all the money in Banks.She has made her will and says she has made 4 equal shares and left a quarter each for her 3 sons and the last quarter to the convent.

India in general and Kerala in particular harbor thousands of these ladies whose children have no time for their aged parents. It appears to me that the world is full of these old Ms. Mercies with children who have very little Mercies !

Dr. Punned-it