You Only Live Once

Savitha was in her 60s. She lived with her two married sons and their families. She had lost her husband five years ago. Her husband used to run a cloth store in the neighborhood they lived in. It had remained shut since then. She had seen many financial struggles in her lifetime and there were times when her husband and she had to choose between visiting their ancestral village and their son's tuition fee, buying a piece of furniture, they had fancied and paying for their sons' cricket coaching classes and buying a piece of jewellery or buying their kids cell phones. Every time, it was their sons' needs that won hands down.  Each of these sacrifices made her a little disappointed, but she forgot these the moment she saw her kids smiling.

Now her sons and daughters-in-law were in good jobs. She had two granddaughters and a grandson. She used to take great pleasure in cooking for them as per their liking. She hardly found time for herself as she used to run the entire household. Her sons and daughters-in-law used to leave early in the morning and come late in the evening. Savitha literally slogged for the whole day, keeping the house in order as her grandchildren were little and used to throwing things around, as they are apt to at that age.

Her sons and daughters-in -law got off days during weekends, but they made plans where the kids were left in her care, and she was not taken along. She tried to tell them to get a full-time maid, but they dissuaded her with sweet words about her being the best person in the world to trust the kids with, and so on. She had fallen into a trap and was unable to break free. She needed some time for herself. She could not share her problem with anybody, as society would point fingers at her sons' irresponsible behavior, which she could not bear.

On one occasion, she spoke to her sons and told them she would like to go on a pilgrimage that was being organized by the local temple authorities. The participants were expected to deposit some amount towards the trip that would last a fortnight. Her sons did not blink an eye before saying a firm no. They argued that if she were to travel alone, it would imply that they, her sons, did not take proper care of her and would be an insult to them. Savitha could not support herself with any argument. She understood that meek requests and persuasion would not bring any change in the attitude of her sons and their wives. They needed a strong dose of a bitter medicine.

After a week of this discussion, she overheard her sons and daughters-in-law making plans to visit Goa. They were planning to go away for ten days, and as usual, the grandkids would be with her. She had other plans…. Her sons went away with their wives for the trip after giving her instructions on what to feed and what not to feed the kids. On the day her sons had returned, they saw a small crowd outside their father's shop. Out of curiosity, they went there and saw that the shop had been decorated with flowers and festoons. The hoarding outside the shop read 'Savitha's Snacks and Juice Corner, ' and a few ladies at the counter were distributing sweets and juice. Savitha's sons were aghast. Not a word came from their mouth.

Savitha got home late in the afternoon, feeling pleased with herself. Her sons and daughters-in-law attacked her and charged her with being irresponsible towards her grandchildren and demanded to know what had transpired in their absence.

She silenced them with a single quote, " You Only Live Once". She said that it was as applicable to her as much for them. She told them that they were the ones who were acting selfishly as they considered only their time and life to be important. She informed them that she had started this business where she had partnered with like-minded ladies.  She shared that she had decided to put the space where the old cloth store that her husband had run for years stood to good use by starting this venture. When her daughters-in-law protested about their kids and their well-being, she said that they were their responsibility, not hers. She added that she found a good maid servant for the grandkids because, as sons, they never bothered about her interests or life, and said they could find better ones if they pleased.

The sons and the daughters-in-law could not digest it and sulked for the whole day. Savitha went about her way as if she were least bothered. For once in her life, she had had her way and wished to cherish it.