The Wooden Bowl
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year
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 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.
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 when I grow up." 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.
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 three
things: a rainy day, 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 life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned
that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers 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. I've learned that sometimes
people just need a little something to make them smile. People will forget
what you said ... people will forget what you did... but people will never
forget how you made them feel.
"In Life as in Golf, it's the follow through that counts."
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