a wooden bowl...

[trina21]

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a
week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

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
and 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 had 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 curiously, "What are you
making?"

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 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, when milk was spilled, or when
the tablecloth was soiled.
 

On a positive note, I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second  chance.

[bratinela]

Yan ang karma..di pan dumarating na