The Journey Back Home and Old Memories
From Abroad to Homeland: A Pilgrimage of Memories
When I drive on these long and silent highways of Saudi Arabia, I often think that this journey is not just about covering kilometers, but about a return for which I yearn every moment. Now that the time to go to Pakistan is near, there is a strange sense of peace in my heart. This journey is an important milestone in my life, a pilgrimage of return to my roots.
Ancestral village and memories of parents
As I head towards my ancestral village, the alleys where my childhood was spent begin to emerge in the corridors of my mind. The atmosphere, the soil, and the environment where the shadow of my mother's prayers existed and my father's affection stood over our heads. They are no longer in this world today, but the training they provided and the principles they established still travel with me. That house is not just a building of brick and stone, but a guardian (ameen) of their memories, where the feeling of their presence is still alive in every corner.
Journey of generations: Yesterday it was us, today it is our children
One aspect of this journey is that our house is no longer empty. Where we, the siblings, used to play under the supervision of our parents, today our children and the children of our siblings are playing. I see my childhood in their laughter and noise. It is strangely comforting to see how this journey of life is moving forward. Just as our parents raised us under the shadow of their affection, today we and our siblings are giving the same love to our children. This sight is no less than a gift for me, that where we were yesterday, our next generation is growing up there today.
The true glory of parents: Siblings
For people, signs might be the material things that parents leave behind, but for me, the true glory and living signs of my parents are my siblings. When I look into the faces of my brothers or feel the tone of my parents in the words of my sisters, I feel as if they never left. Their demeanor and our mutual love make me feel that the greatness of my parents is still alive in our home. They are that great trust of my parents which it is my duty to preserve, and I am proud of them.
Visiting parents' graves
An important stop in this journey is visiting the graves of my parents. I will go there to pray for them, recite Fatiha, and I consider it my duty to keep the values they instilled alive. This visit is not just a ritual, but a silent dialogue with them, a way to pay tribute to their upbringing. Sitting there, I will feel that their shadow is still upon me.
Sagar Pardesi's resolve
When I look down from the airplane window at the fields of my country, I will remember all those faces for whom I have traveled these miles for years. For "Sagar Pardesi," this return is a journey to strengthen the emotional bonds that my parents laid the foundation for. This journey is a means of returning to my roots, where I will see the reflection of my parents in my siblings, and their prayers will feel as if they are welcoming me in my homeland.
A prayer in the end:
It is my heartfelt prayer that may Allah Almighty grant the highest place in Jannah to those whose parents have departed from this world, and for those whose parents are alive, may Allah Almighty keep their shadow over their children’s heads forever. Ameen.
What are your thoughts on this story? I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards, Sagarpardesi
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