Father’s Handprints

Father had grown old and needed to lean on the wall while walking. As a result, the paint on the walls started to deteriorate, and wherever he touched, his fingerprints would leave marks on the walls.

When my wife noticed, she often complained to me about the dirty-looking walls. One day, I had a headache, and Father massaged my head with oil. While walking, he left oil stains on the walls. Seeing this, my wife screamed. In anger, I scolded my father and rudely told him not to touch the walls while walking. He looked very sad. I felt ashamed of my behavior but said nothing to him.

Father stopped holding onto the wall while walking. One day, he fell and was bedridden, which became his deathbed, and he passed away within a few days. I felt guilty and could never forget his expressions. I couldn’t forgive myself for his death.

Sometime later, we wanted to paint our house. When the painters arrived, my son, who loved his grandfather, didn’t allow them to clean or paint over his grandfather’s fingerprints. The painters were very kind and innovative. They assured him they wouldn’t remove the fingerprints but create a beautiful circle around them and design a unique pattern.

This continued, and those prints became a part of our home. Every visitor admired our unique design. As time passed, I, too, grew old. Now, I needed to lean on the wall while walking. One day, while walking, I remembered the words I had said to my father and tried to walk without support. My son saw this and immediately came to me, urging me to lean on the walls, fearing I might fall without support.

I saw my son holding me. My granddaughter quickly came forward and lovingly placed my hand on her shoulder for support. I almost cried silently. If I had done the same for my father, he would have been healthier and happier for longer.

My granddaughter took me to the sofa and sat me down. Then she took out her drawing book to show me. Her teacher praised her drawing and gave her excellent remarks. The sketch was of my father’s handprints on the walls. She commented, “I wish every child loved their elders this way.”

I returned to my room and cried, apologizing to my father, who was no longer there. We, too, grow old with time. Let’s take care of our elders and teach our children the same. Tell your family that elders are precious, not walls and things.

“Must Comment on the Post about how much you Love your Fathers.”

“This story beautifully highlights the importance of respecting and caring for our elders. What did you think of it? I am waiting for your comments.”

“I Dedicate this story to my beloved father, Muhammad Ali Khan. May Allah grant him eternal peace and a place in Jannah. His memory will forever remain in our hearts.”