I gave importance to parenting over everything else and went

When Rahul Dev declared: “I gave importance to parenting over everything else and went back to Delhi. Now, when I had to make a comeback, Bigg Boss was the best platform to give me that visibility,” he revealed a truth that resounds through time: that the call of parenting outweighs the call of ambition, and that love for one’s child can lead a man to set aside the pursuit of glory. In these words lies both sacrifice and renewal — the sacrifice of stepping away from the spotlight, and the renewal of finding a way back when duty to family had been fulfilled.

To give importance to parenting over everything else is no small choice. In a world where men are often measured by their careers, their fame, and their wealth, Dev reminds us that the truest measure lies in the home. Many chase crowns that fade and applause that silences with time, but the labor of nurturing a child creates a legacy that endures beyond the grave. By leaving behind the glamour of cinema to return to Delhi, his words echo the wisdom of the ancients: that sometimes the greater victory is not to conquer the world, but to guard one’s household.

History gives us examples of such choices. Consider Cincinnatus of Rome, who left his plow to lead the Republic in its hour of danger. Yet when the crisis was done, he laid down power and returned to his fields, choosing the quiet labor of home over the trappings of greatness. So too did Dev, who stepped away from fame to take up the mantle of fatherhood. His eventual return to the public eye, through Bigg Boss, was not the act of a man chasing vanity, but of one who had already proven his priorities: first the family, then the world.

The heart of this quote also reminds us of the rhythm of life: there are seasons of retreat and seasons of return. To step back is not to surrender, but to prepare for a different kind of strength. Dev’s choice to pause his career was born of devotion, and his comeback was not a desperate act, but a strategic one, choosing the platform that could grant him visibility once more. This mirrors the cycles of ancient heroes who withdrew to the mountains for wisdom, then returned to their people with renewed purpose.

The lesson, O listeners, is powerful: one’s worth is not lost when one steps away for the sake of family. Modern society often preaches the lie that to pause is to fail, but Dev’s life shows otherwise. To prioritize parenting is to build a foundation so firm that when the time for return comes, one rises not as a hollow figure but as a whole human being, tested and refined by love’s labor. True strength lies not in never stepping away, but in knowing when to step back and when to return.

Practical actions must follow: parents, remember that your children will not stay children forever. The years of their youth are fleeting, and the time you give them is more precious than wealth or recognition. If sacrifice is needed, embrace it without regret, knowing that careers can be rebuilt but childhood cannot be relived. And when the time comes to reenter the world of ambition, do so with wisdom, choosing opportunities that align with your values rather than chasing every fleeting chance.

So let Rahul Dev’s words echo like an ancient teaching: family first, glory second. For the applause of the crowd fades, but the love of a child endures. The stage may wait, the lights may dim and rekindle, but the years of guiding a soul do not return once they are gone. In this truth lies both humility and heroism — that the greatest legacy is not only the work of your hands, but the life you shape with your heart.