CHRISTIAN SENSE
BY TOM SMIKOSKI
A publication devoted to making sense out of the twenty-first century.
WOODEN SPOON
By: AUTHOR UNKNOWN (if anyone knows the source please let us know.)
( Here is a nice little story I received via email
Please pass it on to your friends)
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, 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 onto 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 the 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 eyes 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 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, milk spilled or the
tablecloth spoiled.
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