By Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda

While the best thing would be to live close to our aged parents to help them physically, there are many other things we can do to show them our gratitude for their kindnesses to us when we were young. First of all, remember how when we were young, we always wanted our parents to talk to us, to show us that they cared for us? Well, now we can do that, by calling them on the telephone regularly, sending them little gifts or cash that they can show off to their friends.

Parents like to be proud of their children and talk about how good their children are. They need proof that their children are good and caring. The gifts need not be expensive. Even the occasional card saying, “I just thought I’d send this to you because I thought of you” is kind and considerate. We need not wait for special occasions. Of course, we should visit our parents as often as possible and let them know how much we miss them – Mom’s cooking or Dad’s advice.

Parents like to know that they are important in our lives. It is not good enough to say, “Ah, they know I love them. I don’t need to show it all the time.” Love and gratitude need to be physicalised.