WOODEN  BOWL  I guarantee  you will remember the tale  of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow,  a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.  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 steps 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 days 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.  On a positive note,  I've learned that,  no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life  does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.  I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way  he/she handles three things: a   rainy day,  lost luggage, and  tangled  Christmas tree lights.        I've learned that, regardless  of your relationship  with your parents, you'll miss them   when they're gone  from your life.  I've learned  that  making a  "living"  is not the same thing as making a "life."   I've learned that life sometimes  gives you  a second chance.   I've learned that  you  shouldn't go through life  with a catcher's mitt  on both hands. You  need to be able  to throw something back.       I've learned that if you   pursue happiness,  it will elude you. But, if you  focus on  your family, your friends,  the needs of others, your work  and  doing  the very best you can,  happiness  will find you . I've  learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart,  I usually make  the right decision.  I've learned that  even  when  I have pains,  I don't  have  to be one.  I've learned that every  day, you should  reach out  and  touch someone. People love that  human  touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just  a  friendly pat on the back.      I've learned that  I still have a lot to learn!     Author Unknown Page Created : Pam Gallo