You look just like my daughter living abroad

Last couple of weeks had been quite busy; I was seeing lots of candidates in a day for recruitment. One of them was a retired professor. He was looking for some meaningful occupation after spending a good career life. While we followed the routine procedure for the interview, we had a semi formal conversation during the session. 

When it got over and he was leaving, I stood up in honor and, in Indian traditional way, said Namaste and bye. To my surprise, in return, he wished me by putting his hand on my head. I was touched. In a formal setting with such a short acquaintance, it was unexpected.  As he left I recollected the conversation with him. He has two daughters who live in USA, and he had mentioned that I looked like one of them. And then instantly, I recalled meeting with two other persons in the last week. They had similar comments. “You look just like my daughter in USA”.

Of course, I can’t look alike with all of these daughters in USA.  But I could see some similarity in these parents. It was not the case that they were missing their children. They all seemed contented and settled with their life arrangements. I saw no regrets or complain in their eyes. They were apparently happy and proud of their children.  There was no unfulfilled desire to see them, hear them, or to know about them, thanks to the information technology!

But, there was something missing. Was that a longing to bless? It is difficult to understand a parent’s mind set or the ‘heart set’ for their children living far-far away. There is unsaid, unexpressed and even un-thought wish to be with their children: to share the sky they see and the air they breathe. I wonder if it is true that as one grows old his/her needs become similar to that of a child. Like the need to touch and feel the close-ones. For that matter, bless their children actually not virtually!