The Worst Trip

My father was a government doctor. Once he was posted is a small town. It was a beautiful town & my father was given a very beautiful government home. I was in a different city with my mom & younger brother. The place where I lived, the people of that place were very friendly. During festivals & birthdays, they celebrated together. They always helped each other in every type of situation. It was a small town but it looked like a whole big family. Life was going so smooth & beautiful.

But being a government doctor, my father's job was transferable. Once he got transferred to a new town which was far away from my town. I was a school student. So that my studies should not get disturbed, he retained the government house where we lived & at the new place, he used to live on rented home. Once he was at our home on 2 days off. While returning he said, "Let us go to a trip on my new town. It's a beautiful place with beautiful rivers, lakes, mountains & much more." Very excitedly we packed up our bag & went to my father to that place. We were 4 people; me, my mom, my dad & my younger brother.

But that village was a very strange village. Nobody used to talk to each other. Even neighbours were behaving like strangers. Every morning all the people used to sit in their balcony & do their household task. People could see each other working in their respective balconioes but they never spoke to each other. I was getting frustrated. It was the worst trip of my life. I used to think that these people are not like the people of my town. I told my father, "Dad let us go back. I don't want to be here. Let us go among our people. I am surprised how you live here?" My dad said, "Dear son, it's my job. I have my department, my organization. I spend most of my time in my hospital. It's normal for me. Don't worry, very soon your holidays will be over & we will go back to our town."

Next day, as usual, I was sitting on a chair in the balcony. And as usual nobody was speaking a single word with each other. It was disgusting. From my adjecent house, an old lady was observing angry expressions on my face. She said, "Son, I know why you are upset. I listened to your conversation with your father too. But do you know there is a story associated with this place?" I said, "No grandma, please tell me." She said, "We all know that there was a great devotee of his parents named Shravan Kumar. He took his parents on pilgrimage on his shoulders. One day while travelling he entered this town. Immediately his thought process changed. He started thinking that his parents are burden on him & he is wasting his life serving them. A passersby came near him & said that if he wants he may leave his parents but if he walks a few steps ahead, there is a place for caring for old people.He may leave his parents over there & go. Shravan Kumar did as the stranger said. Gradually by moving few steps forward, Shravan Kumar was out of the boundary of this town & suddenly the idea of leaving his parents left his mind. He started crying. He felt ashamed of himself."

Listening to the story I thought that it's a cursed place since ancient times. I was surprised to listen to the story by that lady. After 2 days we had to return to our town. I was very happy. We sat in our car & returned to our town. Reaching there, all our neighbours welcomed us. We had lunch together & then my parents started discussions with them over tea. I thought, "How loving & friendly these people are? They are the inseperable part of my life. How caring they are towards each other?" My eyes filled with tears. 

I could not forget the worst memories of that useless trip. But that trip made me realise that there is nothing important in this world except friendliness, togetherness & caring for each other.