Not all parents are perfect. But when you take care of your children well, they tend to grow up to be loving and compassionate towards you in return (without a feeling of obligation).
The unconditional love that a son shows for his father in the sweet story below is sure to warm your heart – especially in light of the judgemental people around them.
Not only is this pair lucky to have each other, but they’re also fortunate to have lived lives full of so much love that they pay no attention to the opinions of others.
They have each other and that’s what matters most.
Read on for the text of the story.
A son took his elderly father to a restaurant for a meal.
His father, being old and weak, dropped food on his shirt and pants while eating.
The diners in the restaurant watched on in disgust. The son, however, remained calm throughout the entire meal and ignored the eyes of the other diners. He showed no embarrassment because of his father.
When they finished eating their meal, the son quietly took his father to the washroom.
Inside, he took the time to brush off the crumbs from his father’s clothes, clean the stains, comb his hair, and straighten his glasses.
The son did this without hesitation… without disgust… and all with love.
When they walked out of the bathroom, the restaurant guests continued to stare in silence out of the corners of their eyes. They couldn’t understand or grasp how someone could blatantly embarrass themselves in public like that. Rather than dine out and make a mess in a public restaurant, they should stay home and dine in the comfort and privacy of their own home instead.
The son, paying no attention to the stares and dirty looks, went to the counter to pay their bill.
Once the bill was paid, the son grabbed his father’s hand and they started to walk out of the restaurant when a man sitting in a booth called out to the young man and asked “Excuse me… don’t you think you left something behind?”
“No, sir,” he replied. “I don’t believe I have.”
The man then quickly replied and said, “Oh. But you have! You left a valuable lesson for every son, as well as hope for every aging father.”
Once the restaurant diners heard this, they looked down at their plates in shame of their own impulsive judgments.
The old man’s stunning comment made them think of their own families, making them realize that they too, one day, hope to have so much unconditional love.
The son and father looked at each other, smiled, and went on home.
The moral of the story is simple – to take care of those who have taken care of us. It is one of life’s greatest joys. As we all know, our parents cared for us since the day we came into this world. They provided us with every need and comfort we could have wanted. As they grow old, it’s so important that we love them, respect them, and care for them in that same way.
Our time on this earth is limited and how you treat others is your mark on this world.
How do you want to be remembered?
***
Not every situation can be met with such compassion.
But by loving his father more than he cared about how he looked to the people around them, this son made the most of their time together.
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