The Sacrifice

Once Bunty lived in a small town with his parents. His family income was low and they could barely have just enough for their livelihood.

Bunty hated his poverty and also his mom. Now it so happened that his mother had only one eye and whenever his friends saw her, they teased Bunty as the son of a one-eyed mother.

Bunty wanted to get rid of both his poverty and his mom. So he studied really hard and got a scholarship. With this scholarship he went out of his town and studied in a big college. Soon he passed and got a nice job in the city. He earned and soon bought a house and married and stayed in the city. Never did the disgusted soul ever think of returning to his original home and meet his parents.

One day there was a calling bell and his little girl opened the door. She ran inside as she was frightened. Bunty came out to find out and saw that his mother had come to meet him. However contrary to becoming happy, he yelled at her for making his daughter afraid and asked her to leave immediately!

His mother came back without saying a word.

After some months there was a school reunion at his hometown. He lied to his wife that he is going on a business trip and came to his home town.

After attending the reunion, he went to his small cottage home. There he saw his old mother lying down by the side of the bed. He quietly went inside and tried to wake her up, but she was cold. There was a letter, she was holding.

He picked up the letter and began reading it.

It read, My beloved son. You always hated me for my one-eye. I know it was an embarrassment for you to have me near you. When you were small, you met with an accident and lost one eye. Being a mother I could not see my son being called a one eyed fellow. So I donated my eye. I was proud & happy for my son. I dearly miss those days when you played besides me. I always waited for you to come from the city but you never returned. At last your dad passed and I was all alone. So I thought to see you for the last time before I too leave my mortal coil. Hence had gone to meet you. I am sorry to scare your daughter. I am happy that you are well off and pray for you!

The whole of Bunty came crashing down on him that day! He cried holding his mother for hours that day. But alas! it was too late. He could have never imagined that the reason that she hated her mother was her one eye, that very reason was for him. She had donated her eye so that he could see with both eyes.

He duly completed her last rites and shifted his base back to his home town. In the place where his cottage was there, he built a shelter home for old and destitute people who were not looked after their ungrateful children. He also gives shelter to orphans and mentally retarded people.

He has named the shelter home as 'Mamta Shelter Home' in the name of his mother. He now runs it with full dedication and hopes to ask for forgiveness from his parents in the other world when he meets them!