AD SENSE

Story of the Old Man and Son

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The family ate at the dinner table but the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, grandfather ate alone. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. 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 the bowl for you and mama to eat.” 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.