It Pays To Be Kind

There are a lot of Classic Fairy Tales that speak some very strong messages.  The moral of the following tale reminds us that "What goes around.....Comes around."

In life, it pays to be kind!

~  There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled.  When he sat at the table, he could hardly hold his spoon, and was constantly spilling his broth on the tablecloth or he would let it run out of his mouth.

His son and his son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather had to sit in the corner behind the stove.  They gave him his food in an earthenware bowl which was barely filled.  On occasion, the old man would look toward the table with his eyes full of tears.

One day, the old man's trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell to the ground and broke.  The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only sighed.  Then the couple bought him a wooden bowl for a few half-pence, out of which he had to eat.

They were once sitting this way when the little grandson of four years old began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground.  "What are you doing there?" asked the father.  "I am making a little trough, " answered the child, "for father and mother to eat out of when I am big."

The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry.  Then they helped the old grandfather up and seated him at the table.  Thereafter, he was always allowed to eat with the family - and if he spilled a little of anything, they said nothing at all......~

There are a couple of ways that one could view this tale....

Did the son and his wife allow the grandfather to come back to the table because they feared what their future might be....OR .... Were their eyes opened by the actions of the child and at that point were their hearts filled with compassion for the elderly man?

It is important that we show a sympathetic awareness towards others.....We should remind ourselves daily that we need to try in every way possible to ease the suffering of people around us!

My own eyes were filled with tears as I read this old Fairy Tale once again....We live in a world that is full of suffering and we must prepare our hearts to be filled with tenderness, kindness and compassion for other people.


Shug Sez......

We need to show respect to the elderly and those with needs.
I pray my heart will always be full of kindness and compassion!