When I was young, my father often took me on short trips. On the way home from these trips, Dad often stopped at the Dairy Queen and bought me a 10-cent ice cream.
One day, we were on our way home and I was hoping Dad would do the same. And he did.
"Would you like an ice cream today?" asked Dad.
"That sounds great, Dad!"
But then he said, "It sounds good to me too, son. Would you like to treat me today?"
Twenty cents! I could afford it. But when it was my money, an ice cream just wasn't a good use of it.
Then I said those awful words to him, "Well, in that case, I guess I'll pass."
My father just said, "Okay, son."
But as we turned to go home, I realized how wrong I was. Why didn't I take it as a good chance to give something back to my father? Why didn't I think that he had bought 50 ice creams, and I had never bought him one? But all I could think was"20 cents"!
I felt awful for myingratitude. Dad had done so much for me. Shouldn't I do something in return? Love is a two-way street. One must put into what he or she has taken out.
Dad and I went on another trip the next week, and as we passed the corner, I said, "Dad, would you like an ice cream today? My treat. "
