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The
Wooden Bowl
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.
On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what
happens, 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 he/she handles things: a rainy day, the elderly,
lost luggage,...
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 life sometimes 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. But 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!
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