A few years ago while doing a project, I’d visited dozens of homes for the aged, and found how aged parents were packed off there, quite often so the family could take over and occupy the bedroom, sometimes just a balcony they’d occupied in their twilight years. “Come and stay with us dad,” said the young successful son as they stood in grief at the burial of his mother. The father was at first reluctant. “Son,” he said, “mother and I always planned to enter an old folks home and now that she is gone I am planning to move there alone.”
“Father,” said the son, “an old folks home! You can’t be serious. You know that I have a beautiful house with lots of rooms.” The father, thus persuaded, reluctantly moved in with his son and family. The first few years were perfect. The family was very understanding and loved him very much, especially his grandson and he in return loved them all. They were a happy family.Time passed by and little cracks appeared. The old man they felt spent too much time in the bathroom!
They said he slept too often and too long! Slowly love gave place to tolerance and tolerance to intolerance, till gradually the once loving relationship started deteriorating.
“Father,” said his once loving son a little abruptly, “Your grandson’s grown up now, he needs his own room, you’ll have to shift to the balcony,” and though the little boy protested that he loved having his grandfather with him, the old man was moved out. One day the young successful son came home and as he sat in his favourite armchair, downing a drink, he heard the now familiar sound of his father snoring gently in the background.
The sound disturbed his thoughts and he rushed out onto the balcony.
He saw his father curled up under his favourite blanket lazily, enjoying an afternoon nap. “Get out,” he shouted at the startled old man. “I don’t want you anymore in this house, “I’ve had enough, and take that blanket along with you”.
Without uttering a word, the father wrapped his blanket around his aged shoulders and walked down the steps and away.
Suddenly the young man heard the voice of his little son shouting, “Father stop grandpa, he is taking the blanket with him.”
“Let him take the blanket,” said the young man looking at his son in surprise.
But the little boy ran to his grandfather snatched the blanket from his aged shoulders and threw it on his own father, “Father,” he shouted, “cut half of the blanket and keep it for yourself, for when you grow old and I throw you out of the house, you will need this to cover yourself with it”. Yes, remember how you treat your arents, is watched by your children and also by a God above..!
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