My friend sent me an email. It goes like this:-

An 80 year old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 years old highly educated son. Suddenly, a crow perched on their window. The Father asked his Son, "What is this?"

The Son replied "It is a crow"

After a few minutes, the Father asked his Son the 2nd time, "What is this?"

The Son said, "Father, I have just now told you "It's a crow".

After a little while, the old Father again asked his Son the 3rd time. "What is this?"

At this time, some expression of irritation was felt in the Son's tone when he said to his Father with a rebuff.

"It's a crow, a crow!"

A little after, the Father again asked his Son the 4th time, "What is this?"

This time the Son shouted at his Father,

"Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again although I have told you so many times "IT IS A CROW". Are you not able to understand this?"

A little later, the Father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his Son was born. On opening a page, he asked his Son to read that page. When the Son read it, the following words were written in the diary:-

"Today, my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My Son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated. I rather felt affection for my innocent child."

While the little child asked him 23 times "What is this?", the Father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times and when today the Father asked his Son the same question just 4 times, the Son felt irritated and annoyed.

So...if your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word, be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them.

Be considerate to your parents.

Isn't it true that we get irritable with our family members or relatives sometimes? We are perhaps more patient in dealing with friends or customers but not so when dealing with people closest to us. I am still trying to learn this part, which I admit, is a major weakness in me.

I would also add that we should also treat our children with the same patience. When I read this, it reminded me of how sometimes I have been impatient and exasperated with my daughter's repeated questioning eg. "Where are we going?" though I have answered as many times. So, sometimes, I will ask her back the same question and she will have the answer for me. It does the trick sometimes.

My elder daughter has just turned 3 last Friday. It won't be long before I realise that she's 13 and 23. By then, I hope she will still find me a relevant and interesting person to talk to. It is not uncommon for parents to find that their grown up / teenage children spend more time on the phone chatting with their friends than with the parents. Some teens would not want to be seen in public with their parents because it is not "cool". The family unit is under more attack today from external influence than ever before. What about yours?

"Children, obey you parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honour your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - "that is may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth". Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Eph 6: 1 - 4)