My friend got married. His mother carried two bags of cotton from the countryside by bus and train to his city. After arriving, there was still a long way to his house with no bus service. To save money, she walked breathlessly for 40 minutes instead of taking a taxi.
My friend felt both touched and amused. He pointed to the cashmere and silk quilts he owned and said, "You can buy anything in the supermarket if you have money. There was no need for you to carry cotton all this way."
But his mother insisted, "This year's cotton is light and warm. Try it, and you'll see!"
Perhaps every parent is the same, caring for their children with relentless love, regardless of whether the children understand or appreciate it.
One early spring, I visited my grandmother. For dinner, we had stewed dried beans, eggplant salad, and pickled radish—all dried and preserved by her the previous autumn. They were delicious, and I couldn't stop praising the meal.
A few days later, my grandmother, who rarely visited, came to my home. Smiling, she unpacked bags of dried eggplant, beans, and other vegetables. She explained that I had left in a hurry last time, so she took this chance to bring me the foods I liked.
I was speechless. Because of my casual compliment, my nearly 70-year-old grandmother, who gets motion sickness and seldom goes out, had taken three buses across the city to deliver my favorite foods.
My friend had a failed marriage. After her divorce, her parents provided deep care, helping with her child and offering financial support. Their love helped her recover and move on from the man who had hurt her.
However, her father, an honest and upright man, became furious upon hearing that his ex-son-in-law had been promoted. He went to the man's office to question the boss about promoting someone with a philandering nature and corrupt conduct. The office fell into chaos, with many employees just watching. Some whispered, "It's a new era; relationships are open now. No one cares about such things anymore!"
The old man stood silently, his hands trembling and eyes filled with tears.
That night, my friend cried heavily. I asked if her father's actions had humiliated her. She said she felt guilty for him. She explained that even if the whole world betrayed her, her father would still stand up for her and fight for her justice, just as he did when she was a child and a neighbor boy took her ball. Yet, the world had changed; it was no longer a stage for her old father, and his actions seemed obsolete and awkward to others. No one saw the real, everlasting love behind his seemingly rude behavior.
Now we are adults, capable of supporting our own families. But in our parents' hearts, they still worry we might lack warm quilts or preserved foods. They undertake long, difficult journeys to bring us these things without a second thought. They cannot bear to see us suffer and will go to any lengths to protect us, never caring if their actions seem awkward or foolish.
Who in this world could love us so deeply and relentlessly, without asking for anything in return? Only our parents.