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 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, 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 Papa and Mama to eat their
food in 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 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 the building
blocks are being laid for the child's future.
Let's be wise builders.
