My Personal Childhood Web

I grew up in a nuclear family comprising only of my father, mother and brother. My father having left his home and family in India and come here to UAE in connection with his job, I was brought up here. So it was only my immediate family that I had in my initial growing years and they mean the world to me. I consider myself privileged to be born into this loving and God fearing family who taught me loving God and loving and caring for one another right from my early years. They were the living examples before me whom I have learnt from.

My father would go out of his way to give a helping hand to others – be it to find a job or a financial help or just a drive even to the distant place they needed to go – he was always there for others. Just as he was there for the community around him, he was also always there for his family. He loved us unconditionally and did beyond his best for us. He was a man who gave much importance to quality rather than quantity. My father would always tell me to study as far as I can and climb as high as I can. Unfortunately, he passed away last year before seeing me enroll into this program. It was after he had gone that I realized how much of a source of encouragement he was for me and the desire to fulfill his wish became stronger in me. It was this desire that made me join this program. He gave importance to family values. It was this love for family that made him bring most of the other family members to this country. Therefore, eventually, I have most of my extended family here with us in this place. I admire these values and principles that he followed and practiced and have been instilled in me to a certain extent. He was my hero and it makes me cry just to write about him coz I miss him.

My mother played equally an important role in my life. Though being a graduate she decided to stay at home and be a home runner just so that she could be there for her family at all times. When my brother and I returned back from school she would be there waiting for us at the door and with all eagerness listen to all we had to tell of our day’s events. She was very much involved in every part of our lives – from knowing who are friends were, to what we did at school and what tests we needed to take. She would sit with me late into the night during my school days and help me with my studies. Even if I came home with a bad grade she would only encourage me and never reprimand me. Right from my childhood to this day she was always there beside me and continues to be there for me even beyond her health permits, with her love and support, comfort and encouragement and above all her prayers.

Well, my brother and I squabbled a lot when we were young. That does not mean we did not love each other. Ooh we did love one another dearly and care for one another. Though he is younger to me, he would always watch out for me, behaving as if he was the oldest. I considered him as my baby brother and would look out for him. I still remember going to his class to check on him during our school lunch break. I would encourage him to go for extracurricular activities and prepare him for literary competitions like debates, elocutions and extempore. He therefore looked upon me for that encouragement and support. Even as married adults with our own respective families, we continue to support and encourage one another.

Besides my immediate family, it was my church and my Sunday school that had a great impact on my growth and development. When I say church, it does not mean the building but the fellowship between the members, the unity and love that exists for one another. Being believers and belonging to the family of God we treat each other as family. My church being my family has always been a support and strength for me. My Sunday school is where I learnt Gods word in depth. It is my Sunday school that taught me values and set my priorities. This is where the foundation of my faith was laid because of which I can stand strong today even in the midst of trials and difficulties.

I am proud to be a part of this web and I don’t think there would have been a better web for me. I thank God for his grace and mercy towards me, for bringing me into this world, into this home and into this web, because of which I am what I am today.