Subject: Grandpa's Table {Insp}
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Sun Jan 07 2001 - 02:43:43 EST
"Grandpa's Table"
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 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 was 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 and role models.
"Lord, we ask not that you move the mountains,
but that You give us the strength to climb. Life
is about people connecting with people, and
making a positive difference."
Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ...
today and everyday!"
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Thu Feb 01 2001 - 00:00:01 EST