One of the greatest blessings man enjoys is the presence of parents, the presence of souls who breathe in happiness and comfort, love and joy into the life of a human.

Parents play an indispensable part in the life of a person. A child demands care, cosiness and tenderness in the early years. He wants attention and care. And who fulfils all these pre-requisites?

Nature has made parents responsible for it and almost every parent delivers this natural duty. As life proceeds, the burdens start to shift towards the other end. Children grow into teenagers, innocence transforms into sombreness, and parents start experiencing age-related issues, their independence declines as ours increases.

Nature demands obedience and loyalty from the grown-ups, who are independent, but still children to their parents. So do we, as teenagers and adults, fulfil our duty the same way our parents did?

Alas, the truth is bitter and saddening. As soon as we reach teenage, we think we are free from any responsibility and restrictions issued by our elders. The need of parents’ guidance is looked upon as unnecessary and out-dated. We want to deal with all our matters independently. We feel mature enough to tackle the world we belong to. We start to get irritated, angry and frustrated when our parents tell us something. Some of us even scold our parents and refuse their orders.

We are too young to visualise the pain and sorrow that our parents experience due to our behaviour. We are their whole world. Do we ever realise how much hardship they faced during our upbringing? Have we ever realised the happiness they feel by our mere smile? We do not value them as we should. This depresses them.

It is natural to desire independence and freedom from parental guidance or control. But, we should not forget that it is their duty to guide us. And since no one can love us more than them, no one can be our better guide since their guidance is always based on what is best for us.

Many of you might have read such articles and would be thinking; “I’m not like that. I obey my parents and do not scold them.” If this is the case, then it’s great!

But obedience to parents also includes many other actions. It is speaking to them in a polite tone, whole-heartedly fulfilling every duty they give, not delaying tasks they entrust to you, voluntarily doing actions that please them, are also fulfilling your responsibility towards them.

Control your temper and never ever say “No” to parents or raise your voice with them. Be humble and prefer their opinion over yours. Study hard with the intention of pleasing them.

Do not forget that you will never suffer by pleasing them and accepting their wishes. If you are displeased with any of their decision or action, discuss with them in a respectful tone.

Besides, there are other small acts that convey a lot of love and respect that we should be doing. For instance, make sure to have a meal with them at least once a day, speak to them politely, and always make sure they are the first ones you greet when going out and on returning home. Such protocols might seem insignificant, but reflect your love and respect for them.

Often, we fear failure in some way by following our parents’ advice. At other times, obeying parents’ orders may cause our peers to mock our ‘childishness’. For example, if your mother does not allow you to go out to play after the Maghrib prayer, your neighbourhood friends might call you a ‘baby’. In such situations, your benefit lies in obedience to parents. God will never let you down if you follow your parents’ advice.

I can relate it to my personal experience that in the long run, those children prosper better who craft their habits according to their parents’ will. Do you want to be one of them? If yes, then make a pledge of showing full obedience to your parents.

The New Year is approaching. Make this a New Year resolution. You can even start from today so that by the time New Year comes, you would have brought about the change in yourself that you desire. With determination and motivation, you can be the source of happiness of your parents. Good Luck!

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 17th, 2022