when the boy was 10, he wondered why his classmates had educated parents who were well off, frequented posh restaurants and gave their sons and daughters expensive gifts, yet his father,with primary school education, has a paired of oil stained hands from working as a mechanic, goes to hawker centres for meals and gave him cheap stuffs at gifts. he was ashamed of his father.
When the boy was 13, he got into a prestigious school where rich kids are in abundants and school fees is hefty. His father told him on the 2nd day of school that he could not sustain the fees and he has to transfer to a neighbourhood school. In the principal's office, the father had to explain the reason for transfer while hiding his oil-stained hands from curious glance of the teachers. the boy's ears burned and he was ashamed of his father.
When the boy was 15, his social circle widens and he went out alot. Despite the fact that the family is not well to do, his father always ensure that he gets additional allowance when he went out with friends. One day, after getting his allowance, he realised that his father's lunch was bread. his mum told him that his father would rather scrimp on his own spending so that the boy will have more money because the father did not want his son to be like him when he was young, going out with no money and watching his friends spend on food and entertainment. As the boy watched his father ate the bread with his oil-stained hands, he felt ashamed of himself.
When the boy was 23, he chanced upon a bank statement and found out that most of his father's savings has gone into his university education. His mum told him that his father cannot bear to have him shouldering heavy loans hence he used all his savings for the son's education. As the boy watched the father put away the bank statement with his oil-stained hands, he felt ashamed of himself
When the boy was 25, he asked his father to accompany him to his university convocation. The father smiled awkwardly with his wrinkled face and told his son that he could not because he does not have nice clothes and his hands are all oil-stained. The boy looked at his father with tears in his eyes and told his father gently that there is nothing to be ashamed of. The pair of oil-stained hands belonged to the greatest father who sacrificed many things unconditionally for his family. on the day of the boy's convocation, he held on to the pair of oil-stained hands with pride as photos were being taken .
A real life story from my friend . I almost cried when i first heard this story from him , i can felt that he is ashamed of himself . This story really inspired me a lot , this is how great a father can be . I think our parents are doing similar things too,just that we take it for granted .
We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. Mother Teresa
