EMOTIONAL EVOLUTION

Bisali and Nandu were very quietly lost in their thoughts. They were as silent as the atmosphere outside their aeroplane which was flying at a height of more than 35000 feet. Nothing was visible outside. Now'and then flying through some turbulence would shake them a little. Their inner turmoil had shaken them voilently enough to feel immune towards any outer turbulence. Knowing eachother since their childhood, married to eachother for more than fifty years of their lives and facing challenges together in their journey of life, they understood eachother's thoughts well enough. Even in their silence, they were communicative.

A typical middle class working couple, they were ever thankful to God for His blessings to let them lead normal family life. Both of them had earned enough to live comfortably. Very content with whatever they had, which included a house of their own, they tried to live within their means. Well aware and informed of affairs of the world around, they had kept them away from any politics. Their world revolved around their only son Bisan to whom they were provided with good education and upbringing. Always nurturing him with lots of care and affection, they were discreet enough to let him have his privacy during his growing years.

Bisan grew up to be a hardworking and intelligent person. Sheer on his merit, he got a scholarship to study in one of the prestigious universities in USA. He proved his merit there too. He continued getting one scholarship or the other, On-campus assignments kept meeting his other expenditure. Hardworking as he was, he enjoyed his studies and his work too. He could see a vast ocean of opportunities to tap his potentiality in a country where results of hard work and intelligence do not take much time to bring out the fruits of hard labour

. Just once he had gone to visit his parents back home during vacations. It was not financially viable for him or his parents to visit one another more than that. In his heart of hearts, Bisan promised to himself to show his parents literally other side of the world where the amenities of life were available at click of a button but with a price. He was sure of his capability to earn well enough to live life as per his liking. He wanted to make best of the opportunities he was found there. There was no dearth only if one had determination and Bisan was determined. So he went back to the country of opportunities as he called it.

Unaware of Bisan's promise made to himself, Bisali and Nandu felt offended that not even once Bisan referred about their visit to USA. They were very proud of their son studying there and they were sure of his getting into a good job and make enough money to arrange for their visit to the country of their dreams. But their dream looked like falling flat when their son never mentioned about their visit. They had full realization that he was not dependent upon them for financial assistance but he was not having enough money also to sponsor their visit. Crushing their excitement, they were discreet and their wiseness told them not to question his constraint.

They decided to start tuition classes to keep themselves busy as well as make extra money in case the opportunity to visit USA materialised. There was no dearth of students seeking private tutions. They were in position to choose the students and timings as per their convenience. Yearning for their son, they would quite often discuss about his studies, his career, his future and invariably pray to God for his welfare. 

Unaware of the pangs of separation that they had suffered, Bisan was somewhat relieved to see his parents doing well and not feel sad or bad in his separation. Once back to college, he put himself wholeheartedly in studies. His phone calls to his parents became rare. Starting with twice a day i.e. morning and evening, these calls became once a day and then once a week. He wasn't able to conceal his irritation if ever his parents called him. He had become blunt enough to tell them a couple of times that it was not right time for him to take their call and talk to them! Saying that he would disconnect the call. Crestfallen they would look at eachother. How can anyone be too busy to talk to parents? They were never that busy for their son! And for that matter, they were never that busy for their parents! Perhaps they were never busy enough, they would reflect! Or may be as persons trying to make careers for themselves, their parents were wise enough not to be demanding selves! Maybe they belonged to a generation when neither the parents nor the children had the facilities of modern means of communication which brought virtually face-to-face with one another. May be none of the sides is emotionally heavily invested or maybe emotional investment is satisfied by technology. And the technology didn't require much space to accommodate one another! Wow! What a concept!

While sharing their thoughts with each other, Bisali and Nandu were awestruck! What an evolution! Relations and relationships have become abstract! They need not be visible physically because the physical presence requires physical space, physical face-to-face contact which somehow is not considered that important or urgent. Such is the law of evolution that inspite of finding faults with it, one has to move on with it. Evolution doesn't stop with criticism. It's such a change which is adopted and absorbed by society slowly and automatically. This is a flow of current which takes you along without letting you feel its onset. You evolve with it so slowly and gradually that you become nostalgic about the times you were used to and become apprehensive about the changes. Hence flowing with the current and becoming nostalgic, Bisali and Nandu decided that they should also be considerate enough to understand their son's busy schedule. Entangled in many ifs and buts, perhaps and maybes, the time kept on moving and Bisali and Nandu too, kept moving on with time.

Then one fine morning, Bisan called his parents. He asked them to wind up their routine including the tution classes they had started. After studies he had got himself a very good job and bought himself a good house. Now he wanted his parents to come and stay with him. Bisali and Nandu were still imbibing this happy turn of life when in the same virtual call, he introduced them to a colleague Piya whom he wanted to marry during their stay with him. He told them not to any preparation for his marriage because he and Piya had planned every minute detail as per their liking. Piya was US citizen of Indian origin. She had studied with Bisan in same college and helped him a lot during his initial years in USA. Years of friendship had culminated in their decision to marry eachother. Piya's parents had no objection. Bisan also sought his parents' blessings. There was enough time for marriage ceremony. Bisan arranged every thing including passport, visa and tickets for his parents without bothering them. They were just to travel comfortably to be with him.

Quick turn of events put Bisali and Nandu on their alert which they had developed in this process of emotional evolution. They wound up their tution classes. Like typical average parents, they had different plans for their only son. But here he was telling them not to do anything as he was all set for big day in his life. Bisan hadn't asked for any financial support from his parents ever since he had left for higher studies. It had not been an easy life for him. Struggles in life kept him pre-occupied but he couldn't have ignored his parents. Without delving deep, they were excited to be with their son in the country of their dreams, that too for the auspicious occasion of his marriage.

This was their first ever trip abroad. With mixed feelings of excitement and happiness, they landed where Bisan and Piya received them. There was a scene of emotional outburst. Neither Bisan nor Nandu and Bisali tried to stop tears flowing unabashedly from their eyes. Understanding their union after long years of separation, Piya took leave of them when they reached Bisan's house. Bisali and Nandu were mesmerized by the modern technology with which the house was equipped. That was just a glimpse of advancement which they experienced later when Bisan took them to visit different places before his wedding. The unabashed display of love and affection had washed away all the apprehensions of being neglected, uncared or forgotten.

On decided auspicious date, the wedding was solmenised following religious rituals. Bisali and Nandu were very happy to meet Bisan's friends and Piya's family. They were happy to see Bisan's group of friends sticking together like a big family away from their own families. It had taken them almost ten years to meet and see their son well settled. Although most of them remained in touch with their roots yet none of the friends seemed to miss any thing back enough to leave this country where they had found conducive environment to realise their potentiality and enjoy better quality life. Bisan also seemed to have blended well. Blessing him profusely, they decided for return journey after the wedding functions were over. During all these years of separation, Bisan had thought himself to be too busy to miss paternal touch in his life. There was no dearth of money with him. He had always taken consolation in the fact his parents were doing good on their own and they never put pressure on him to take care of them. He had never felt any need or compulsion to look for their needs but now in their company, he realised what he had missed all these years.

All his sentiments hitherto confined to himself and know to himself only, supressed so far had found a vent. Once again he felt like a child secure under paternal care. He didn't want anymore separation from them. Piya's family of three generations were US citizens. She had always lived with her parents. She was sensitive enough to realise Bisan's craving for paternal love. She too kept on insisting upon Bisan's parents to prolong their stay. 

Overcoming their sentiments and taking a decision very objectively Bisali and Nandu fixed the date for their return journey. Very objectively because Bisan too had realised that he couldn't leave a country where he had studied, got a decent career, married and made home. Simultaneously he was aware of the fact that in this stage of their life, it won't be easy and comfortable for his parents to severe their roots to settle down in new surroundings. Nandu and Bisali had also realised that they had always wanted their son to do well in his life. They were impressed by his large group of friends sticking together in a country where they had made their many a dream come true. Nandu and Bisali had always respected Bisan's need for privacy and by and large always supported his decisions. They didn't want to impose or distract him from his goals ahead with their sentiments of seeking his attention giving logics of support in their middle age or old age. Both the sides were wise enough to comprehend eachother's sentimental constraints. Wholeheartedly blessing the newly wedded and controlling their emotions and with heavy heart, Bisali and Nandu boarded the flight back home on a mutually decided date. Evaluating the latest phase of their life, flying at a height of more than 35000 feet, lost in their thoughts, contemplating the current situation, they were flowing and moving on with this evolution of emotions.

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