*“We want every child to love their elders like this.”*
My father had grown old now and used to take support of the wall while walking. Slowly, his fingerprints started appearing on the walls—marks that silently told the story of his dependency and weakness.
My wife did not like this at all. She would often complain that the walls were getting dirty. One day, father had a headache, he applied oil on his head and used the wall as support while walking, due to which oil stains also got on the walls.
My wife got angry at me for this. I scolded father in anger, told him in harsh words not to touch the wall. Father became silent. There was pain in his eyes. I was also embarrassed, but could not say anything.
After that day, father stopped taking support of the wall. One day, he lost his balance and fell. His hip bone broke. Surgery was done, but the body did not cooperate… and in a few days he left us.
There was deep regret in my heart. I could never forget those looks of his—neither could I forgive myself.
After some time, we thought of getting the house painted. When the painters came, my son, who loved his grandfather very much, did not want to paint the parts of the wall where grandfather's marks were.
The painters were very understanding and creative. They assured that they would not erase those marks, but would make beautiful round designs around them so that they become a part of the wall decor.
And so it happened. Gradually those marks became the identity of our house. Whoever came to the house could not stop praising that part of the wall - without knowing that there was a story behind it.
Time passed. I too had become old now. One day while walking, I too had to take support of the wall. Then I remembered what I had told my father, and I tried to walk without support.
My son was watching this. He immediately came to me and said, “Papa, take support of the wall, you may fall.” And then my granddaughter came running and said, “Dadu, you take support of my shoulder.”
Tears started rolling down my eyes.
I wish I had done the same for my father… maybe he could have stayed with us a little longer.
They made me sit on the sofa. Then my granddaughter brought her drawing book. She showed me—her teacher had praised her painting a lot.
The picture was on the same wall—the one with Grandpa’s fingerprints.
The note below was:
*“We want every child to love their elders like this.”*
I went to my room, apologized to dad… and cried a lot.
One day we will all be *aged too.!!!* If you have elders in your house right now, take care of them. Give them love, respect. And teach your children the same lesson through your behavior.
Courtesy; a friend What's app message
