YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING HOW YOU TREAT YOUR ELDERS

GRANDPA"s 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 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 awooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in hiseye 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 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 Grand- father'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 homeatmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wiseparent realizes that every day the building blocks are being laid for the child's future. Let's be wise builders and role models.

"Life  is  about  people  connecting  with  people,  and  making  a positive  difference"


"Take  care  of  yourself  and  those  you  love, today and everyday!"
Love & light..............dhruv.