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 and 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,
sometimes 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 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.
(Author Unknown)
On a
positive note...
I've
learned that, no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does
go on and it will be better tomorrow.
I've
learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way s/he handles
four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled
Christmas tree lights.
I've
learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll
miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've
learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life.'
I've
learned that sometimes life gives you a second chance.
I've
learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both
hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
I've
learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you; if you focus on
your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the
very best you can, happiness will find you.
I've
learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually
make the right decision.
I've
learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've
learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.
People love
that human touch --holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on
the back.
I've
learned that I still have a lot to learn.
What have
you learned?
This story was received in my personal email inbox as a forward from a
friend. I thought it was worth sharing. If you know the author of this
story, please let me know so that I can give proper credit.
Interested in contributing an article? Contact
AFTOG.*AFTGOG reserves to edit submissions for clarity and space
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