RATHNAM Senaiya and Kaveri Ramiah Thevar have built a home together for the past 37 years with two princes and a princess. For almost two decades during that time, theirs was a long-distance relationship, yet their union remains as strong as the first day they tied the knot.

As the eldest of 10 siblings, Dad was the breadwinner of his family. Despite being a smart student, he had to stop schooling and start working in a restaurant at 12. Eventually, he became a heavy machinery mechanic who had to go to different parts of the world to work.

Nowadays, it's easy being in a strange land as you can reach your loved ones within seconds through the phone and the Internet. In dad's time, you were lucky if you could talk to the family once a week, and the conversation could only last about five minutes as it was really costly to call.

In those few minutes, he had to talk to all of his kids and get updates from mum about family issues. I'm still trying to figure out whether he had any private moments with mum ...

Once a year, dad had two weeks of holidays - basically one week to settle his visa, work permit, passport, etc (those days procedures were not as fast and easy as now) and one week with the family.

I still remember how I used to cry when I saw him, thinking he was a stranger in my house.

Appa, I'm really sorry for that. Now I know how many small things you must have missed - your children's birth; the time they uttered their first word; the day they started school.

You made that sacrifice because you wanted to give us nothing but the best. You did not allow us to take a single loan to further our studies because you didn't want us to have the burden of repaying later.

Mum, the other pillar of our home, came from a very traditional family. She hardly stepped out of the house as she raised us single-handedly. Being the eldest daughter-in-law, and with dad away so much, mum had to care for everyone. She treated everyone equally. No wonder all my aunts and uncles give her the honour of leading the family even now.

As we had no car, mum used to take the three of us, together with our luggage, to granny's house, and anywhere esewhere, by bus. I was always given special attention because of my motion sickness. And with the poor bus service, a journey that only takes 45 minutes today could easily take four hours then.

I don't remember a morning when we had to go without breakfast. Mum always made sure she made it herself - she didn't buy food from the shops. So we always started our day with a nutritious breakfast prepared with love and care. Appa and Amma always ensured that we got the finest in everything.

Even now, dad still gives me directions whenever I want to go out because he doesn't want me to get lost. I know that I know the place better, but I do understand that, to him, I'm still a small girl!

Often, people say to my parents: "You're gifted with wonderful kids." Actually, it's my brothers and I who are the luckiest kids in the world to be blessed with them.

In all the years that my parents were separated by distance, we never heard a sigh or any word of dissatisfaction from them. Is this why people say "marriage is made in heaven", and the couple can understand and trust each other and sacrifice together for the family?

There's also another belief that our present life is determined by the number of good deeds we did in our previous birth. I should have done lots more to deserve such amazing parents and family.

I've never said this, not even once, but today, in front of the world, I want to say: "Appa, Amma I love you so much and I wish to always remain your little girl. I know 'thanks' alone can never repay what you have done for us. May you both be blessed with all the best in life and I promise I will try to give nothing but only the best to you."