Grandpa’s Table

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 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 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 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 Grand- father’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 the building blocks are being laid for the child’s future.

Let’s be wise builders and role models. Lord, we ask not that you move the mountains, but that You give us the strength to climb. "Life is about people connecting with people, and making a positive difference." "Take care of yourself, and those you love, today, and everyday!"

一位年老體衰的父親去和他兒子、兒媳婦，還有四歲的小孫子一起生活。可他雙手打顫，走路不穩，眼睛視力還不好，看不清楚東西。

一大家人在一張桌子上吃飯，可老父親的手顫抖得厲害，又不能看清楚，吃飯很困難。豌豆從調羹滾落到地上，可當他伸手去抓的時候，杯子里的牛奶又灑在桌布上了。兒子和兒媳婦為眼前的臟亂感到非常的惱火。

兒子說：“我們必須為老頭做些什么，我已經受夠了他杯子里灑出的牛奶，吃飯時發出的響聲，以及把飯灑得滿地都是。”

因此，夫妻倆就在房間的角落里放了一張小桌子。于是，全家人一起進餐的時候，而只有父親一個人在角落里吃飯。父親每次吃飯的時候都會打破一兩個碟子，因此他們就 把他的飯放在一個木頭碗里。家人瞥爺爺的時候，發現有時爺爺眼里含著淚花。而且，夫妻倆同父親之間唯一的交流就是當父親不小心丟掉叉子或者把食物弄灑時嚴厲的訓斥聲。

他們四歲的兒子靜靜地注視著眼前發生的一切。一天晚餐前，爸爸注意到他的兒子在地上玩弄一些木片，爸爸親切地問：“你正在做什么呢?” 那個小男孩也同樣語氣親切地回答到：“哦，我正在為你和媽媽做一個吃飯用的小碗，當我長大以后你們就可以用了。”

這個四歲的小孩笑著接著做他的碗。孩子的話深深震撼了這對父母的心靈，他們相對無語，眼淚順著他們的臉頰流了下來。雖然他們沒有說一句話，但是他們知道他們必須做些什么了。

那天晚上，兒子抓住老父親的手，慢慢地帶著他回答桌子旁。那天晚上他和家人一起共進晚餐。當叉子掉下，牛奶四溢，桌布弄臟的時候，夫妻倆不再介意。孩子們有著很強的洞察力，眼睛在看，耳朵在聽，以及他們的大腦處理著他們所收取到的信息。

如果他們耐心地看見我們為家庭每個成員所提供一個愉快的家庭氛圍，他們將會在他們以后的生活中模仿這種態度。明智的父母意識到每一天所建立起來的磚石都是為了孩子的未來鋪墊的。

讓我們成為那些明智的建設者和各自角色的楷模吧。天那!我們又沒有要求你移動高山，但是你必須給我們攀登高山的力量。“生活是人與人之間的交往，并且那是絕對有意義的。”“今天，……每天都要照顧好你自己……和你所愛的人!”

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