Wonderful short story posted in www.theonlinecitizen.com
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. 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 while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather’s direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate 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 son 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 from when I grow up.” The four-year-old son 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. 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 home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day is being laid for the child’s future.
13 comments:
you can watch this at youtube, this is one of the ad. by petronas.
cheers.
If a story ends to prick the conscience of the readers to do the right thing, then it is worth being told not once but forever.
I prefer this story to the "mouse and cat" story I read recently. He is not a very convincing story-teller. I can't make-believe that mouse can bark!!! Anyway, I don't have their talents and cannot appreciate their sense of humour.
This story is urban legend. I have heard it on all corners of the earth from all cultures.
It never happened...... but the message is good.
This is an ad by malaysia's petronas that contains the same message as in the story. Very touching. Singaporeans should watch this before thinking of dumping their elderly parents in Johor Bahru nursing homes as suggested by a minister.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHa6FBO1OY
How many nursing homes or retirement villages can you build with $58 billions?
Correct answer will not win a prize.
I remember that I've read a smiliar story during my Primary school time. There is another good story posted at the zaobao Chinese forum. Here it goes:
http://luntan.zaobao.com/viewthread.php?tid=129131&extra=page%3D3&page=2
这是发生在春秋时期真人真事的故事，收录在笑经第三章，原文如下：
父葬母，席裹尸，扛山顶，子随之，
欲下山，子收席，父不解，问何因，
子徐道，父归西，没草席，孝难尽，
愧天地，人难立，儿行孝，父莫拒，
大意是说有个人，用草席将其母遗体包卷起来，扛上山顶丢弃。儿子随行见到这一幕，下山之际，欲将草席带回家，父亲好奇问儿子，儿说，日后您若死了，我才有草席将你包裹起来丢弃山顶，行使为人子的孝道，父亲您就别加以阻挠。。。。。。。
Very touching but it is just a created story, not a real life story. However, putting olf and frail parent in JB nursing home as suggested by our minister is certainly not a good option. Instead the govt should think of a way to improve and increase our nursing home facilities. It is a fact that living in Singapore is getting more and more expensive and most elder people find it hard to expect their child or children to accommodate and look after them when they are too old to look after themselves. There are many reasons for this such as finance, relationship tension, spouse problem etc. But I think the govt should not take a short cut by suggesting dumping our old parent in JB for any reason, this is morally incorrect. Can you imagine if one day our relationship with malaysia hits a rock, people will get panic and start moving thousands of old folks back into singapore, where to find a place for them? Or some may just be happy to leave their parent in JB and never visit them anymore. To be honest, I don't think young people nowadays are not as filial as the older generation. This is why the govt have make legislations to force children to care for their parents. But this is not the best way, because the children don't love their parents anymore, no use to force them.
I believe we should consult people who have taken care of their aged and terminal ill parents to the last moment before passing harsh comments on children who are unable to do the same.
sob, sob, cry,cry.
So soleh leh if don't move me.
Educated at elite school.
I am disappointed at the minister's comment. We have taken care of our father jointly with 2 brothers and 2 sisters for 17 years before my father who is bed ridden finally passed away several years back. We never thought of ababdoning him in JB and we did not even considered a nursing home in Singapore.
There are lots of sacrifices but at the end, we have no regret. We gave up better career options, time for annual holiday etc etc but we always remembered who brought us up and gave us what we have.
We are not rich but we managed. If we can turn back time, would we do it all over again? Absolutely!
World class singapore needing low class M to look after her old n sick...what an irony!!!
The solution is not to have kids, save the 300-400k required per child (or was it 1/2 million after factoring inflation?) and invest at 5% in a global diversified portfolio (as per Mr Tan's excellent advice) and live happily ever after.
Cannot understand why Singaporean actually paying million dollar to a minister that dump their elderly to another country.
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