31/01/2025
THE POOR AND HUNGRY BOY
A Heart Touching Story.
A poor and hungry boy was digging through the garbage and searching for food. Then a rich boy who lived on the estate, saw him and walked up to him. He said,
"Don't you know that foods from trash bins contain bacteria and germs? You could catch a disease, become terribly sick, or even die just eating from the garbage."
The poor boy turned and whistled,
"If I don't eat bad food, I'm still going to die... of starvation. So, what's the point? Sarvation could kill me, just as a disease could."
The rich boy paused for a moment, then asked,
"What about your parents?"
The poor boy responded,
"I've never met my father. My mother was killed in a flood when she went in search of food."
The rich boy felt compassion for the poor boy and he asked him to wait. He walked back inside and returned shortly with a plate of soup and a sandwich which he handed to the poor boy. He asked him to come back everyday for food.
The poor boy could not contain his emotions. He was both surprised and excited as he could not remember the last time he had ate a real food. It was like a dream come true. He tried to express his gratitude but was having a hard time getting the words out. He stood there, crying as he watched the rich boy walk away.
The following day, the poor boy returned to the estate, hoping to see the rich boy. When the rich boy saw him, he offered him some food, socks, toothbrushes, gloves, toys and various other items. And the little boy began to cry again, hanging down his head. He could not believe that he was actually in possession of those things.
It went on like that for the next several days. The poor boy never lacked money or decent food. One one occasion, the rich boy offered him clothes, shoes, a sleeping bag and storybooks. The poor boy was full of gratitude and great joy.
One day, the poor boy came to the estate, but did not see the rich boy around. Then he went away thinking that perhaps he had gone out with his parents. But as the days passed and he did not see him again, he became worried and wondered where he could have gone.
The poor boy waited for him one day for many hours. But as he was about to leave, he saw a man drive in and get out of his car with a bag of food. The man approached him and handed the food to him, saying it was from his little son. It suddenly occurred to the poor boy that the man was the father of the rich boy.
When he asked about the rich boy, the man told him that he collapsed a week ago and was hospitalized in critical condition. The poor boy became very nervous and sad. He begged the man to take him to the hospital so he could see him. The man agreed.
In the hospital, the rich boy turned to him and asked in a weak voice,
"Did you get the food I sent to you? I'm sorry, I haven't been able to give you things for a while now. The doctor said my condition has worsened somewhat."
The poor boy wiped away his tears with his finger, then whispered,
"Even on the sickbed, you're still a kind person."
The rich boy paused for a moment, then asked,
"If you don't see me again, what would you remember me for?"
The poor boy said silently,
"I won't remember your estate and all the cars on it. I won't remember your wealth. I won't remember your expensive lifestyle. But I will remember your kindness, generosity and all the help you have rendered to me. That memory will stay with me for the rest of my life."
The rich boy smiled a dizzy and absolutely beautiful grin, and then he died on the spot. His body was taken to the morgue immediately.
At the end, it's not about what you have or even what you have accomplished. It's not about your houses or cars. It's about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. The footprints you leave behind can lead people to better places. Just take a moment and reflect on the way you treat people. Are you always greeting people with a smile? Are your words kind, even when you are in a bad mood? Do you give to others something they would cherish forever? Are you someone that if you are gone tomorrow, people would remember your kindness, smile, or your laugh?
And so, I want to ask you again, what will you be remembered for?
Story by Chima_Dickson Official
