The Guest Room

Albert, a dedicated and diligent man, worked hard to support his wife Leah and six year-old daughter Andrea.

Working in the construction industry, he learned a lot, grew in the profession and went on to make a good living. So with a better salary, Albert managed to acquire some land and began to build his own house. Whenever he had any money left over, he would buy building materials, and would work hard on the weekends to build it. In the meantime, his mother died and his father, Victor, now  alone,  came  to  live with

them, to  the  delight  of  the  small  Andrea  who  was  very  attached  to  her grandfather.

Sometime later, Albert managed to finish their home, which was bigger and more beautiful than the old one. Everyone was happy. With a larger home, Albert had to buy more furniture to fill it.

All was joy. There was plenty of space, they would have a beautiful garden and a yard for Andrea's dog. They would also have a room, in the backyard, to store old things.

Excited, they saw the great day of moving arrive. All their things were put in the truck. Everybody worked a lot, even Andrea, but no one bothered because they were pleased to go to the new house. Thus, they arrived at the new house. Again, they had to work hard to get everything in order. No one knew where anything was. Only late in the evening everything was more organized and at least the beds were put together.

Tired, they prepared their rooms to go to sleep. And the grandfather, helping with the preparations, did not know yet where his room would be. He hoped that his son would tell him, until, exhausted by the day's work, Victor asked his son:

- Albert, I'm tired and sleepy, son. Where is my room?

And the son replied without hesitation:

- We want you to be most comfortable and have maximum freedom, Dad. So, your room will be the one in the backyard.

Unable to believe what he was hearing, the old man held back the tears that insisted on escaping his eyes, dropped his head, picked up the suitcase with his clothes, and was leaving through the kitchen door when Andrea ran to him and held him, not letting him leave.

- Wait, Grandpa!

Then, turning to her father, she said firmly:

- Dad, if someone has to sleep outside, then I will. I will not let my grandfather alone over there. Grandpa will be in my room! Also, when you were little, who took care of you, giving you everything you needed? Who took you for walks? And even worried about you when you were sick?

Leah, surprised to hear her husband's words, and seeing the reaction of her daughter, replied:

- Our daughter is right, Albert! Now we have a big house, isn't there a room in here for your father? That is an absurd! And who will then have the other room?

Albert thought for a moment and replied, as if only at that moment he realized how absurdly he was acting towards his own father.

- For guests! ...

Hearing that, the wife considered:

- Albert, I always learned that we "honor our father and mother." You would not do that if your mother were here with us. And, anyway, I would not like this to be done to me when I am older. Would you be happy if your daughter acted like that with you?

 

Albert turned red with embarrassment, and approaching his father, he embraced him: - Dad, forgive me. I do not know what I was thinking when I made this decision. Then,  taking  his father's suitcase with one hand and holding
him with the other, Albert led him to the room that would be his from that day forward.

With great joy, having solved the problem, they hugged. Leah invited them to have a snack and make a prayer to celebrate that first day in the new house.

Sitting around the kitchen table, Albert thanked God for the new home, where he hoped they would all be very happy, and also for having been prevented from committing an act of ingratitude to his father, whom he loved so much.
 

MEIMEI