My dad, over ninety years old now, sat weakly on the bench.
My
dad
,
over
ninety
years
old
now
,
sat
weakly
on
the
bench
.
He didn't move and just sat with his head down staring at his hands.
He
did
n't
move
and
just
sat
with
his
head
down
staring
at
his
hands
.
I sat down beside him.
I
sat
down
beside
him
.
He didn't realize it and the longer I sat, the more I wondered if he was okay.
He
did
n't
realize
it
and
the
longer
I
sat
,
the
more
I
wondered
if
he
was
okay
.
Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him, I asked him if he was okay.
Finally
,
not
really
wanting
to
disturb
him
but
wanting
to
check
on
him
,
I
asked
him
if
he
was
okay
.
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.
He
raised
his
head
and
looked
at
me
and
smiled
.
"Yes, I'm fine.
``
Yes
,
I
'm
fine
.
Thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
Thank
you
for
asking
,
''
he
said
in
a
clear
strong
voice
.
I said, didn't mean to disturb you, Dad, but you were just sitting there staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were alright."
I
said
,
did
n't
mean
to
disturb
you
,
Dad
,
but
you
were
just
sitting
there
staring
at
your
hands
and
I
wanted
to
make
sure
you
were
alright
.
''
"Have you ever looked at your hands?"
``
Have
you
ever
looked
at
your
hands
?
''
he asked.
he
asked
.
"I mean really looked at your hands?"
``
I
mean
really
looked
at
your
hands
?
''
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them.
I
slowly
opened
my
hands
and
stared
down
at
them
.
I turned them over again and again.
I
turned
them
over
again
and
again
.
Dad smiled and said, "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have.
Dad
smiled
and
said
,
``
Stop
and
think
for
a
moment
about
the
hands
you
have
.
How have they served you well throughout your years?
How
have
they
served
you
well
throughout
your
years
?
Though these hands are thin and weak, they have been the tools I have used all my life."
Though
these
hands
are
thin
and
weak
,
they
have
been
the
tools
I
have
used
all
my
life
.
''
"That's right!
``
That
's
right
!
They caught my fall when as a baby I crashed upon the floor.
They
caught
my
fall
when
as
a
baby
I
crashed
upon
the
floor
.
They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.
They
put
food
in
my
mouth
and
clothes
on
my
back
.
When I was a little girl, my mother taught me to fold them to pray.
When
I
was
a
little
girl
,
my
mother
taught
me
to
fold
them
to
pray
.
They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
They
tied
my
shoes
and
pulled
on
my
boots
.
They dried the tears of my children.
They
dried
the
tears
of
my
children
.
They wiped my tears when my son went off to war," I said.
They
wiped
my
tears
when
my
son
went
off
to
war
,
''
I
said
.
After that day, I never looked at my hands the same again.
After
that
day
,
I
never
looked
at
my
hands
the
same
again
.
My dad, over ninety years old now, sat weakly on the bench. He didn't move and just sat with his head down staring at his hands. I sat down beside him. He didn't realize it and the longer I sat, the more I wondered if he was okay. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him, I asked him if he was okay. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice. I said, didn't mean to disturb you, Dad, but you were just sitting there staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were alright." "Have you ever looked at your hands?" he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over again and again.  Dad smiled and said, "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have. How have they served you well throughout your years? Though these hands are thin and weak, they have been the tools I have used all my life."  "That's right! They caught my fall when as a baby I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. When I was a little girl, my mother taught me to fold them to pray. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They dried the tears of my children. They wiped my tears when my son went off to war," I said.  After that day, I never looked at my hands the same again.