Story of the Day: Old Man Goes to Live with His Son's Family

An aging man goes to live with his son and his family, who quickly got annoyed by his inability to function correctly.

A frail older adult decided it was time to stop staying on his own when he realized he could barely survive on his own. He went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.

The older man's hands perpetually trembled, his eyes were not what they used to be, and he always stumbled while attempting to walk.

The family always ate together at the dinner table; however, this became difficult due to the older man's propensity to drop things—his peas often rolled off his spoon, and whenever he held onto a glass of milk, it would always spill on the tablecloth.

The man's son and daughter-in-law soon got tired of the mess the man seemed to create daily. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. He was tired of his father spilling milk and food on the floor.

The two decided to set a small-sized table in the corner for the older man so he could eat alone while the rest of the family enjoyed a shared dinner.

Because his father had broken some dishes, his food was served in a wooden bowl, and sometimes when the family would look in the older man's direction, he would have a tear in his eyes.

Even so, all the ignorant couple had in the way of words were admonitions when the man spilled some food or dropped the fork.

The couple's 4-year-old child watched it all unfold in silence. One evening before dinner, the child's father noticed him playing with wood scraps.

He asks what the child was making, and the boy replied sweetly, saying, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up."

The words made the parents speechless having struck a tender nerve—tears flowed down both their cheeks and though they didn't exchange words, they both knew what had to be done.

That very evening, the husband gently led his father to the family table for dinner, and he ate there for the remainder of his days.

For some unknown reason, neither husband nor wife scolded the older man for dropping a fork or spilling milk ever again.

Kids are incredibly perceptive. Their eyes are always observing and their ears, always listening. What they see is what they will imitate, good or bad. The wise parent realizes this and lays building blocks every day for the child's future.

Did you like this story? Check out this story of a man who learns what it means to be truly rich from his son.

Source: english for students