(* based on a true story, with some edit – to avoid any comparison & resemblance with any person)
The times are hard..
We all know that.
You can loose your job any day (& hence your girl friend (or BF) too ! Such Fake people are like shadows.. They evaluate you by your success, which they define by their selfish terms … & Leave you alone when you are in dark !)
US Market is very tough now a days. Bank of America lay off thousands- just yesterday. I saw my closest friends packing their stuff from their desks & leaving the office ! Citi 1000, JPMorgan hundreds. Just this week. (source, yahoo finance, wall street Journal).
And then the visa policies.
Obviously, we know our limitations.
We are not Americans. (if you feel better, call your self Indian Americans. But you are still NOT American !!)
You are not an American Citizen. N believe me, they don’t love you or your presence, even though you love America like anything !
( I respect USA, it’s Democracy & freedom. Obviously, I like USA !! But I, personally had many hatred fill, anti-Indian “racist” experience so far. No matter how hard we work & pay to USA, even we are on our way to get Green card/citizenship, we would hear all this. Indians hurting US economy?!! lol, no way! Never the less, we are not discussing all that here ! )
So, this friend of mine’s H1 visa was rejected/on hold, when he visited India.
What a big job loss! (a US status loss)
People living in US, cannot freely visit India, due to many issues.
(Jobs are not safe, you cant go on vacation frequently – for long duration. & Visa troubles – US is intentionally messing up Indian American , creating issues while getting stamped. Sankrat (kite flying), Diwali, Holi used to be my favourite festivals, since I was a kid. I havent had Diwali in India since 4 years now. When I was in india, I used to visit my parents on almost every single festival. Not anymore ! )
After months of struggle, he got his visa approved & got some other job.
Lucky him.
Now he won’t go back to India for years to come.
It’s so much of risk! (Well, even I wouldn’t go, given the current risk! that’s natural !)
And guess what..? I got this shocking news just today -
It was early morning. Everyone was asleep in India.. So his mom.
But this very unfortunate day, his mom doesn’t wake up
what happened?
She passed away, unexpectedly, at this very young age.
All this while that son is here, millions miles away from his parents.
Imagine situation of her son!
He wont be able to even go fly to India& see her mom’s soul-less body.
Why?
Your boss wouldn’t let you go.
They will never let you come back, if you visit your parents/home on every festival, in year ! (Diwali, Holi, Sankrat, Navratri & many more ! )
Your visa will get rejected.
Your all dreamz & targets of US will be shattered…
And if it all you go to India (after taking so many risks), then what’s the point? why didnt you go before, when she was ALIVE??!!
You won’t believe, but I have my eyes wet, while writing this blog.
This can happen to anyone !
(his over here, is a fiction Mr He)
This was the time, when his mom got some opportunity to spend happy time with her kids, as she was finally releaved from her responsibilities. She was young enough, may be in 50s & physically capable to enjoy her life with her children. She was able to walk on HER OWN FEET, on the green roads of a hill station – with her family. She was strong enough to go out with her family, sons & daughters; without needed a wood stick or a wheel chair. This was her time, to enjoy the fruit of the love, which she had planted 30 years back !
She taught her baby girl to speak.
She hold hands of her daughter, so that that small girl would learn to walk.
She taught her son ABCD, complex Maths…
She cut on her expenses, so that she can pay for their kids fees, so that, someday they become engineer/MBAs….
She compromised with her comfort, luxury, so that her children can go to US for Masters or “better” job…
And then…..
…………
They never come back.
So badly they get lost in love for USA, so they don’t even know, when his/her mom wakes up, everyday !
Or even, If she does wake up or not…
They live “I care about only MYSELF” life now !
Bcaz life is so busy here, right?
I understand your life my friend..
Working hard at school for your credits & homework…
Working part time, doing those dull jobs, which no way suits your qualification of an “Engineer” …
(All does that. Nothing new ! nothing BAD !)
Or you, Mr/Miss H1 or Green Card -
You get up early morning.
You commute for hours in trains, daily, to reach up to a destination, which doesn’t exist! Just like that turtle, who is trying chase & grab that carrot, hanging over his neck !
(Destination?! Your office? your HIGH paying H1 job?! or that green card, which comes after 15 years? And after getting GC, what will you gain? You will live this mercy less life for 15 freaking years !! & imagine, are we so aimless, that a status is our goal of life?!! Huh, we are from the land of Swami Vivekanda & DR APJ Kalam. And guess what our destination is !! )
As you walk a little, that carrot also walks with you.
You see carrot. You think you will get it
you will get it any moment.
But that moment never comes.
May be it was a need initially. but now, it is a greed.
And believe me, let Gorden Geiko of Wallstreet say, “The Greed is Good”.
It is not !
Well, there are many people (like me) who come here with a “target”.
“I want to go back, as targets are met.”
Target, of advanced studies & improving knowledge-value..
Target, of earning enough to buy a home in India.
(Oh, I miss my good old friends words, who keep explaining me about that ! Talking about you, Shaili, Saurabh, Ashesh & All BHAs … 
Target, of providing more wealth to their families/their parents in India, so that the parents can enjoy all that, which they were never able to enjoy in years – as they compromised all their life for their children’s life!
But we dumb people, don’t really know what our parents want from us – “their beloved children”.
They don’t want us our money!
(Well, actually, we are the ones, who want their money & property ! Though we are earning in $$ !)
Do you want to be with your parents, only when they are in hospital bed?
They are young enough now. They can walk on their feet. They can talk ! They can still eat those street side pani-puri & pakora chaat (caz they are not in hospital bad!)
They don’t need an eye operation to be able to see beautiful mountains!
Now is the time.
Take your call!
Find your belonging.
That’s the place where you belong to.
That’s place where every one loves you, not your money or your green card status!
You can’t make your parents smile, by sending money to their bank accounts !!!
You can’t bribe your parents.
You can’t bribe yourself!!
Baby, just do it, before it gets too late !
“I’m coming home”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kedarmehta/6330301197/in/photostream
(@ Photography, Blog by Kedar. If you like it, then please comment.
If you dont agree, then without fail please comment ! & btway, this was just a thought provoking process. It is no way related to my personal decisions.. I might be doing some third thing, then suggested in above blog !)
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