A
frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old
grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step
faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly
grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled
off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the
tablecloth.
The
son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something
about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy
eating, and food on the floor.” So the husband and wife set a small table
in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family
enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served
in a wooden bowl! When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction,
sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the
couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled
food.
The
four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One
evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on
the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as
sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to
eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to
work .
The
words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to
stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be
done.
That
evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the
family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family.
And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a
fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
Moral: You
reap what you sow. Regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll
miss them when they’re gone from your life. Always Respect, Care for and Love
them.
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