The wooden bowl...

A touching story on Family, Love, Parents &
Relationships
A frail old man went to live with his son,
daughter-in-law, and a four-year old
grandson. The old man’s hands trembled,
his eyesight was blurred, and his step
faltered.
The family ate together nightly at the
dinner table. But the elderly grandfather’s
shaky hands and failing sight made eating
rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon
onto the floor. When he grasped the glass
often milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became
irritated with the mess. “We must do
something about grandfather,” 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 at the
dinner table. Since grandfather had broken
a dish or two, his food was served in a
wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family
glanced in grandfather’s direction, he had a
tear in his eye as he ate 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 the
bowl for you and mama to eat.” The four-
year-old smiled and went back to work.
The words so struck the parents 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.
Children are remarkably perceptive. Their
eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen,
and their minds ever process the messages
they absorb. If they see us patiently
provide a happy home atmosphere for
family members, they will imitate that
attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise
parent realizes that every day that building
blocks are being laid for the child’s
future.Let us all be wise builders and role
models.
Take care of yourself, and those you love,
today, and everyday!, especially your
parents, as they are the most precious
gifts.