f.a.m.i.l.y

i bumped into a stranger as he passed by
"oh, excuse me please" was my reply
he said, "please excuse me too"
wasn't even watching for you."
we were very polite, this stranger and i
we went on our way and we said good-bye
but at home a different story is told
how we treat our loved ones, young and old

later that day, cooking the evening meal
my daughter stood beside me very still
when i turned, i nearly knocked her down
"move out of the way," i said with a frown
she walked away, her little heart was broken
i didn't realize how harshly i'd spoken

while i lay awake, that evening, in bed,
god's still small voice came to me and said,
"while dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
but the children you love, you seem to abuse
go look on the kitchen floor
you'll find some flowers there by the door
those are the flowers she brought for you
she picked them herself: pink, yellow and blue
she stood quietly not to spoil the surprise
and you never saw the tears in her eyes."

by this time, i felt very small
and now my tears began to fall
i quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"wake up, little girl, wake up," i said.
"are these the flowers you picked for me?"
she smiled, "i found 'em, out by the tree.
i picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
i knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
i said, "daughter, i'm sorry for the way i acted today;
i shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
she said, "oh, mom, that's okay. i love you anyway."
i said, "daughter, i love you too,
and i do like the flowers, especially the blue."

are you aware that:
if we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. but the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. and come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family - an unwise investment indeed.

so what is behind the story-poem? do you know what is the meaning of the word of family?

FAMILY = (f)ather (a)nd (m)other (i) (l)ove (y)ou!

(author unknown)