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The Wooden Bowl

The story depicts an elderly grandfather who, due to his frailty, is isolated by his son and daughter-in-law during family meals, leading to his emotional distress. Their young son, observing the treatment of his grandfather, creates a wooden bowl for his parents to use when they grow old, prompting a realization in the parents about their behavior. Ultimately, the couple reconciles with the grandfather, understanding the importance of respect and care for their elders.

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Ralph Latosa
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62 views2 pages

The Wooden Bowl

The story depicts an elderly grandfather who, due to his frailty, is isolated by his son and daughter-in-law during family meals, leading to his emotional distress. Their young son, observing the treatment of his grandfather, creates a wooden bowl for his parents to use when they grow old, prompting a realization in the parents about their behavior. Ultimately, the couple reconciles with the grandfather, understanding the importance of respect and care for their elders.

Uploaded by

Ralph Latosa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Wooden Bowl

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 father,” 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 so 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 Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the
family table. For the remainder of his day, 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.

Moral: You reap what you sow. Regardless of your relationship with your parents,
you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. Always Respect, Care for and Love
them.

Processing Questions:
1. Why did the husband and wife set a small table in the corner?
2. Why was the old man served food in the wooden bowl?
3. Why was the child making a wooden bowl?
4. What did the parents realize?

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