Today’s story is about a little girl whom I recently met, she is 11 years old, studies in 3rd grade, and at such a tender young age, she takes care of her parents too.
Parents would like their children to get a good education, and provide their children with every possible facility so that they can live happily in the future. The hope is, that when the child gets to be more independent, they not only make progress in their life but also support their parents when needed.
This little girl who started taking care of her parents at an early age is challenged by her family circumstances that are not so great. Her parents are not so capable that they can give a good life to their daughter as other parents do, because their financial state is very poor. This girl named Tabassum, her father is disabled in both legs, after a road accident, he uses a wheelchair to go from one place to another and her mother’s mental condition is not good since the birth of Tabassum. Her mother wanders around the streets and eats wrong things like tobacco which is not at all good for her health. They do not have a house of their own, she just lives in a slum on the roadside. Nearby, some people know about their condition and are helpful, kind, and show compassion by giving them some food and money while visiting the place where they live. This is what keeps their livelihood going, showing the good in the community that this family truly appreciates.
A few months ago, Tabassum’s mother’s mental condition became very critical. One day when Tabassum was having dinner with her parents, she noticed a strange smell and told her father about it. Her father said that such a dirty smell must be coming from the garbage. Tabassum then looked at her mother she was scratching her head and noticed that on her head, there were insects and worms. The next day she told her neighbor about her mother’s condition that it was not good. Her neighbor got the mother admitted to the nearby ‘Lehman Hospital’.
Tabassum told that her neighbor is a very nice person and he has his own mango orchard where he has allowed them to stay there so that they live there comfortably and she is forever thankful!
Tabassum and her father gave some money to the hospital they had been collecting for months. The mother’s treatment went on for a week. After the treatment, Tabassum took her mother back home for recovery for which, she very diligently followed everything that the doctor asked her to do. She took great care of her mother and kept her clean and tidy. She washes her, feeds her, takes care of bandages, medicines, etc.
Tabassum has a lot of patience and I salute her ability that how she is taking care of her parents at such a young age. Tabassum goes to study outside of the school as well to catch up on her studies, and the tuition teacher charges no fee to her.
In this story, I have found so many good people helping out the family in need, family members helping out and taking care of each other. Some help by giving space to live, some with food, some with care, and the teacher with free education. This is what our society is about, the good has been brought out in so many ways and I’m glad that I know Tabassum is there as the shining star of her family and the society around!