THE WOODEN BOWL

THE WOODEN BOWL

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.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually
make the right decision.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People
love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on
the back.

No matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life
goes on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you
will miss them when they are gone from your life.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she
handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and a late friend.

I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

And if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you
focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work, and
doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

You shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on
both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. : )