The 38 Ways to Happiness :- Cherishing our parents (5)

Blessing Eleven:
Cherishing our parents

E. ANNOUNCING THE GOODNESS OF OUR PARENTS
Some people mistakenly think that a large family is interchangeable with a family of good repute. Thus they have many, many children thinking that in this way they will bring happiness to their own parents. However, whether one has an heir or not is not something that will make your parents or anyone else in the world laugh or cry. What is better — to have a hundred sons and daughters who do nothing to better the family reputation, or to work yourself bringing fame and fortune to the family yourself by the good and beneficial things you do for the rest of society — a person who is so good that their love is not limited to just a few sons and daughters but to the whole of the world (a parent to the whole of the world). Whether you have an heir or will not make the earth will not laugh or cry. Thus if you want to announce to the world the goodness of your parents, you don’t need to shout about it. The goodness of your parents will shine through your own behaviour, manners, the way you speak without you even having to mention your parents. We represent our parents and the way they have brought us up. We are their flesh and blood. Our mannerisms also come from our upbringing. That is why our behaviour is the most vivid way of announcing their goodness. It is not in their biography that we hand out at their funeral, but rather by our own behaviour which matters. Everyone loves their parents. Having this love one should announce their goodness through our good behaviour starting while they are still alive. In doing so, we will make them very happy. This is more important than writing their goodness in their biography which is of minute importance. It doesn’t matter whether we intentionally want to announce our parents, goodness through our behaviour or not. Our actions speak for themselves. It is up to us to create a good name for them through our behaviour. In doing so, we make ourselves worthy to receive our parents’ legacy.