Patience is a virtue often spoken about, but rarely practiced in the fast-paced world we live in today. Many of us are caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, juggling responsibilities and deadlines, that we sometimes forget the simple, beautiful acts of patience that were once bestowed upon us by the very people who raised us—our parents. This story of an 80-year-old father and his 45-year-old son is a reminder of how love, patience, and understanding can become overshadowed by the pressures of adulthood, and how sometimes, it’s the simplest moments that bring the greatest lessons.
A Quiet Afternoon Interrupted
It was a quiet afternoon, and an 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa, staring out of the window, his thoughts drifting from one memory to another. Beside him sat his 45-year-old son, a highly educated man, busy scrolling through his phone, occasionally glancing up at the TV. This was a typical scene—father and son spending time together, though not much conversation passed between them anymore. The father, now in his old age, spoke less and less, while the son, caught up in his work and the demands of his life, spoke only when necessary.
Suddenly, the old man noticed something at the window. A crow had perched itself on the ledge, and it caught his attention.
“What is this?” the father asked, his voice soft but curious.
The son, barely looking up from his phone, replied, “It’s a crow, Dad.”
A few minutes passed, and the father asked the same question again, “What is this?”
The son, now a bit more distracted, sighed and repeated, “It’s a crow, Dad. I told you that already.”
Time went on, and the crow remained on the window. The father, seemingly still fascinated by the bird, asked his son for the third time, “What is this?”
This time, the son’s voice had an edge of frustration. “It’s a crow, Dad. A crow. I just told you!”
Still, the father seemed not to be bothered by his son’s irritation. He simply looked back at the crow, watching its movements as if he were seeing it for the first time. But after a few more minutes, the father asked again, “What is this?”
The Breaking Point
By now, the son’s patience had worn thin. He snapped. “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I’ve told you a hundred times, it’s a crow! Don’t you understand?”
The old man, hearing his son’s outburst, remained quiet for a moment. The room fell silent, the tension between them hanging in the air. The son, still fuming, turned away, not looking at his father. He felt justified in his annoyance—after all, he had already answered the question multiple times.
Without a word, the father slowly got up from the sofa and disappeared into his room. The son didn’t notice right away, too absorbed in his own thoughts. But a few minutes later, the old man returned, holding something in his hand—an old, tattered diary.
The son glanced up as his father sat back down beside him, placing the diary gently on his lap. The father opened it to a specific page and handed it to his son, his eyes filled with emotion.
“Read this,” the father said softly.
Reluctantly, the son took the diary from his father’s trembling hands and began to read.
A Memory From the Past
The words on the page were old, written in the neat handwriting of a younger man. It was a journal entry, dated many years ago—when the son was just a little boy, no older than three.
The entry read:
“Today, my little son, aged three, sat with me on the sofa. A crow perched on our window. My son asked me 23 times what it was. Each time, I answered him patiently, ‘It’s a crow.’ I hugged him lovingly each time he asked the same question. I never felt irritation or anger. Instead, I felt a deep affection for my curious, innocent child.”
As the son read the words, his heart began to sink. His father had written about a day long ago, a day when he, as a child, had asked the same question over and over again. The diary entry detailed how his father had answered him each time with love, never showing the slightest hint of irritation, no matter how repetitive the question had been.
He had asked the same question 23 times, and each time, his father had responded with kindness, patience, and love.
Tears began to well up in the son’s eyes as he realized what had just happened. His father had only asked him four times what the crow was, and yet, he had reacted with frustration and anger. He had snapped at the very man who had once shown him nothing but love and patience in his own moment of curiosity.
A Lesson in Patience and Love
The son closed the diary, unable to read anymore. He turned to his father, who was sitting quietly, watching him with eyes filled with understanding and love. The old man hadn’t needed to say anything. His actions spoke louder than words. The son felt a wave of shame wash over him. How could he have been so impatient with the man who had raised him, who had cared for him through every stage of his life?
In that moment, the son realized that his father wasn’t asking about the crow because he didn’t know the answer. He was asking because he wanted to connect, to share a simple moment with his son—just as he had done years ago when his son had been the curious child.
It became clear that this wasn’t just about the crow. It was about the passage of time, the changes in their relationship, and the patience that is required as parents age and their roles reverse. The son, now grown and busy with his own life, had forgotten the patience that his father had once shown him. He had forgotten how much love and effort went into raising him, how his father had always been there, answering every question, no matter how many times it was asked.
The Importance of Patience as Parents Age
As our parents grow older, their needs change. The roles we once knew begin to shift. The people who cared for us and nurtured us now require our patience, our understanding, and our love. It’s easy to become frustrated when they ask the same question over and over again or when they seem to forget simple things. But we must remember that there was a time when they did the same for us, when we were the ones asking endless questions, testing their patience at every turn.
This story serves as a powerful reminder that patience is not just a virtue—it’s an act of love. Our parents gave us their time, their energy, and their patience when we were young. As they grow older, it becomes our turn to give that back to them, to show them the same kindness and understanding that they once showed us.
The Son’s Realization
The son, still holding the diary in his hands, looked at his father, who was sitting quietly beside him. In that moment, he understood what he needed to do. He put his arm around his father’s shoulders and whispered, “I’m sorry, Dad. I’ll be more patient. Thank you for everything.”
The father smiled, a soft, knowing smile, and nodded. No more words were needed.
From that day forward, the son made a promise to himself. He would never again lose his patience with his father. He would cherish every moment they had left together, even if it meant answering the same question 23 times or more. Because he knew now that these moments were fleeting, and one day, he would look back on them with fondness, not frustration.
A Promise to Care for Our Parents
As we grow older and our parents enter their twilight years, it’s easy to forget that they, too, were once young and full of energy. They were the ones who cared for us, who answered our endless questions, who never lost their patience, no matter how many times we tested it.
This story is a reminder to all of us to be kind, to be patient, and to show our parents the love and care that they deserve. They have spent their lives taking care of us, and now, it’s our turn to take care of them.
So, the next time your mother or father asks you the same question for the fourth or fifth time, take a deep breath, smile, and remember the patience they showed you when you were a child. Remember that they are still the same people who loved you, who raised you, and who answered your questions 23 times with nothing but love in their hearts.
