This was sent to me in and email yesterday. I thought I would share it with you.
Mav.
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Time and Money
The father came home from another long day, tired and irritable. His five-year-old son greeted him at the door.
After the man had hung up his coat and put his things away, then sat down in the easy chair. The little boy came over to him and asked, “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” The father was irritated by the question. “Why do you want to know that? It’s none of your business how much I make.”
The boy pleaded again and again, “Please, Daddy, I want to know.” Finally the father said, “Fine, fine. I make $20 an hour, okay?” The boy looked downcast for a moment, and then asked, “Daddy, can I borrow $10?”
The father was furious. “The only reason you asked me how much I make is to borrow money?!?” he shouted. “Go to your room! Right now!”Obediently, the boy went to his room and quietly closed the door.
The father sat and fumed for the next hour. Slowly he realized he shouldn’t have yelled at his son. He realized that he had taken out his frustrations on his son, and after all, he never asked to borrow money before. There must be something he wanted very badly. What ever it was, he deserved to have, and the father was determined to make sure the boy got it, even if he had to help him pay for it.
He went to the boy’s room and knocked on the door. He slowly opened it and asked, “Are you still awake, son?” “Yes, I’m still awake, Daddy.”
The father stepped in the room and said, “I was hard on you earlier. I shouldn’t have gotten mad. I’m sorry, I just had a hard day.” The boy sat up on his bed and said, “That’s okay, Daddy. I forgive you.” The father took out his wallet and took out a $10 bill and handed it to the boy. “Here’s the $10 you wanted to borrow.” The boy smiled broadly and took the money, saying, “Thanks Daddy!”
Reaching under his bed, the boy took out a shoe-box and placed it on the bed. When he opened it, he took out a wad of $1 bills. Slowly he counted the money. The father started to get angry again seeing all the money the boy already had. Trying to keep his temper under control, he asked, “If you had so much money, why did you need to borrow $10 from me?”
Still counting, the boy said, “I wasn’t sure if I had enough, and now I do.” He stood up and handed the money to his father. “What’s this for?” the father asked. The boy was still holding out the money, the boy said, “I wasn’t to buy to an hour of you time, Daddy. Please come home early for dinner. I want to have dinner with you, Daddy.”
The father took the money, slowly turned and walked out of the boy’s room. The next night, and every night there after, the father was home for dinner. He still has the $20, framed, in his office hanging next to his son’s picture. A reminder to him that time with his son was for more valuable than the money he earned.
Mav.
________________________________________________
Time and Money
The father came home from another long day, tired and irritable. His five-year-old son greeted him at the door.
After the man had hung up his coat and put his things away, then sat down in the easy chair. The little boy came over to him and asked, “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” The father was irritated by the question. “Why do you want to know that? It’s none of your business how much I make.”
The boy pleaded again and again, “Please, Daddy, I want to know.” Finally the father said, “Fine, fine. I make $20 an hour, okay?” The boy looked downcast for a moment, and then asked, “Daddy, can I borrow $10?”
The father was furious. “The only reason you asked me how much I make is to borrow money?!?” he shouted. “Go to your room! Right now!”Obediently, the boy went to his room and quietly closed the door.
The father sat and fumed for the next hour. Slowly he realized he shouldn’t have yelled at his son. He realized that he had taken out his frustrations on his son, and after all, he never asked to borrow money before. There must be something he wanted very badly. What ever it was, he deserved to have, and the father was determined to make sure the boy got it, even if he had to help him pay for it.
He went to the boy’s room and knocked on the door. He slowly opened it and asked, “Are you still awake, son?” “Yes, I’m still awake, Daddy.”
The father stepped in the room and said, “I was hard on you earlier. I shouldn’t have gotten mad. I’m sorry, I just had a hard day.” The boy sat up on his bed and said, “That’s okay, Daddy. I forgive you.” The father took out his wallet and took out a $10 bill and handed it to the boy. “Here’s the $10 you wanted to borrow.” The boy smiled broadly and took the money, saying, “Thanks Daddy!”
Reaching under his bed, the boy took out a shoe-box and placed it on the bed. When he opened it, he took out a wad of $1 bills. Slowly he counted the money. The father started to get angry again seeing all the money the boy already had. Trying to keep his temper under control, he asked, “If you had so much money, why did you need to borrow $10 from me?”
Still counting, the boy said, “I wasn’t sure if I had enough, and now I do.” He stood up and handed the money to his father. “What’s this for?” the father asked. The boy was still holding out the money, the boy said, “I wasn’t to buy to an hour of you time, Daddy. Please come home early for dinner. I want to have dinner with you, Daddy.”
The father took the money, slowly turned and walked out of the boy’s room. The next night, and every night there after, the father was home for dinner. He still has the $20, framed, in his office hanging next to his son’s picture. A reminder to him that time with his son was for more valuable than the money he earned.
