we all have so many blessings in our lives
A BOWL OF FOOD
A Heart Touching Story.
One day, a wealthy father went with his son to a local carpenter’s shop for him to construct a desk and a chair for his son.
The carpenter’s son who was eating from a bowl in the corner, noticed that the rich boy was staring at him. He soon became uncomfortable, and then he whispered to his father.
“Father, that rich kid won’t stop staring at me. He is so rude and arrogant. He probably thinks it’s a crime to eat from a bowl. Or perhaps he is wondering if the food is actually meant for dogs. What an attitude!”.
The carpenter whispered back to his son.
“Just ignore him and continue eating your meal. After a while, he will get tired and stop looking at you”.
The boy was silent and kept on eating his food. However, when he looked up at the rich boy, he was still staring at him. Then he whispered to his father again.
“Father, he hasn’t stopped looking. He must be thinking that we are the most wretched people in the world. I’m sure he just feels like spitting in my food and pushing me to the ground like a worthless piece of trash. I wonder what kind of manners he has!”.
At that moment, the carpenter could already see how affected his son was by what was happening. He then walked up to the wealthy father and whispered to him.
“Hello sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but your son is making my son very uncomfortable. Would you mind asking him to mind his business, so that my son can finish his food?”.
The rich father looked at his son for a moment, and then he said to the carpenter in a low tone.
“There is something you need to know about my son. You see that boy… he was born with a serious illness that makes him unable to chew or swallow. His condition is chronic and can’t be cured. Ever since he was born, he has never eaten food through his mouth. His foods are delivered directly into his stomach through a tube that runs through his belly. My son has never enjoyed the taste of his meals, so he thinks your son is blessed. If there was only one thing he could ask for, it would be for him to be able to eat like your son. That’s the reason he won’t stop staring at him eating…”.
The father paused for a moment and then he continued.
“I know you’re not a rich father, but no matter the kind of food you put on your son’s table, he enjoys it wholeheartedly. Unlike me, I can afford to buy my son the most expensive and delicious meal in the world, but he will never get to enjoy it”.
We all have so many blessings in our lives. And yet, most of the time we fail to notice them and we take them for granted. We focus so much on what we don’t have and we always yearn for what others have. When we stop to think about it, we’re so blessed to even be alive that we fail to appreciate all of the things that are happening in our lives. We should always appreciate what we have and remember that the things we take for granted are what someone else is praying for.
Author: Bilisa Negash fufi
