As I began drafting this post, the working title I gave it read "What if my kids abandon me when I'm old?" My daughter Kris happened to see the title. Genuinely hurt, she asked me if that's what I thought of her, if I felt that she'd abandon her dad and me in our old …
Author: Salom
Silence of the Lambs or the Wolves?
Featuring a guest post today, written by my sister Sonetta. ----------------- The other posts on this blog describe my grandmother, a gentle and loving lady, and her inclination to stay silent about the treatment received at the hands of Son 2 and DIL 2. Even though my father, mother, sister, and I speak up for her, …
The Implications of Divine Mercy
The wrath of God is a real thing, too terrible to imagine. Yet, the Christian view of God was never that of a fearsome and distant deity, waiting to punish; rather, Jesus bridged the gap between man and God, teaching us to call God "Our Father". A dad who loves us despite our imperfections and wants to be …
When Pride Replaces Familial Love
I called my grandmother Mercy at the start of Holy Week. Her cheerful greeting was music to my ears; it had been too long since I'd heard her sound like her usual self. Her back pain had reduced and she'd been walking more frequently, she said. However, the hope that bloomed in me at her upbeat …
Loving as God Loves – A Christian’s Challenge
I first began to understand what love meant at a children's mass in my hometown parish. Through the usual question & answer session, the twinkly-eyed elderly priest differentiated between 'like' and 'love'. Our negative reactions to some people could range from mild irritation to outright disgust; and so it was impossible for us to like absolutely everyone we …
Continue reading Loving as God Loves – A Christian’s Challenge
Washing of The Feet: A Lesson in Service
"I'm not your servant!" retorted my daughter once, when asked to complete a chore. She was about five at the time. I responded, "That's right, you're not, and neither am I yours. But we both have to serve each other." Why? Turning towards the picture of Jesus in our living room, I asked her to think …
Asking for Help To Save A Life
My grandmother Mercy's pitiful plight and the continued indifference of her two younger children, compelled my parents to look for assistance outside the family. In March 2017, they contacted two leading elder care non-profit organisations in Mumbai with her story, requesting help with transporting her to a hospital for a long-delayed review. However, they were turned down. Both organisations said they …
When Cancer Invaded My Family – Part 2
Continued from here. With the tumour blocking her food pipe, Sonet was robbed of the first line of defence against any disease - an adequate intake of nutrition. The first thing the doctors did was to widen her food pipe with a stent to help her consume spoonfuls instead of sips. That's how we then measured each day's …
When Cancer Invaded My Family – Part 1
26th March 2017. One year since the diagnosis that has changed my family's life forever. My younger sister Sonetta had been suffering random chest pains while eating / drinking for a few months. In January 2016, she vomited during a meal because her food wasn't going down. From then, the chest pains increased till in March …
Mercy in Neglect: An Eyewitness Account
Last week, my parents and sister went to Mumbai for a few days. They visited my grandmother Mercy twice. She was hospitalised earlier this year with back trouble, and has largely been bedridden ever since. All we had till this point was her saying that it was terrible back pain; she was unaware of the …
Justice for Mercy 