There was a man who felt bitter against his father. Since he had run away from home after quarreling with his father in his school days, he didn’t visit his father. After getting married, he got a son as precious as the apple of his eye. He resolved never to be like his father. One day, he met his old mentor and expressed his resentment against his father.
“My father is inflexible. When I was a kid, he scolded me severely even for a little mistake. I was afraid to get close to him. All my six siblings called Mom if anything happened. Mom too suffered a lot because of my father.”
The mentor who was listening silently said in earnest.
“It doesn’t stand to reason, but say about him again, supposing that your father is your son.”
The man was embarrassed, but he got deep in thought for a while and did as the mentor asked him to do.
“My son is poor at speaking his mind. So he causes much misunderstanding. He can’t get close to my family. He hovers. Though he’s lonely and has a hard time, he doesn’t show it. He always tries to look strong. How poor and pitiful!”
After all, the man burst into tears. On that day, he visited his father with his wife and son.