BE PATIENT

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.

To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering

dents into the shiny paint of the truck.

The man ran to his son, knocked him away, and hammered the little
boy’s hands into pulp as punishment.

When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried
desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate fingers from boy’s both hands.

When the boy woke up from the surgery and saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, “Daddy,
I’m sorry about your truck.” Then he asked, “But when are my fingers going to grow back?”

The father went home and committed suicide.

“One who cannot benefit by patience will die
of grief and excitement.” Imam Ali (AS)
Think about this story the next time someone
steps on your feet or you wish to take revenge.
Think first before you lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken
bones and hurt feelings often can’t.

Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget
that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage
will haunt us forever. Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive and forget.
Love one and all.

THE FATHER AND HIS SONS

A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among
themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he
determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for
this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks.

When they had done so, he placed the faggot into

the hands of each of them in succession, and
ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with
all their strength, and were not able to do it. He
next opened the faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and
again put them into his sons’ hands, upon which they broke them
easily.

He then addressed them in these words: “My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each
other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are
divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks.”

In Union there is strength. Divided we fall; United we stand.

100 Moral Stories 73 www.islamicoccasions.com