The debt we can never repay to our elders

Dear Delyara, I spent an hour looking at the call history on my phone tonight, staring at the missed calls from my family that I let slide into voicemail because I was "too busy" configuring server databases or aligning marketing strategies. I tell myself that I am working this hard to build a legacy, to create a stable, beautiful future that will make them proud. But the truth is, my pride is just an excuse to hide from my own selfishness. My parents are growing older, their voices are getting softer and more fragile over the receiver, and I am thousands of miles away, hoarding my time like a miser. What is the point of building an empire if you have to sacrifice the very people who held your hand before you even knew how to stand? The guilt is a cold weight in my chest, and the silence of my phone is the loudest accusation I’ve ever heard.