A Story about Hands

A young man went to seek a position at a large printing company. He sailed through the initial interview. 

The director saw that his resume was excellent and asked, "Did you receive a scholarship for school?"

The boy replied, ” No”

"Did your parents pay for your studies? ‘
"Yes, " the youngster replied.
"Where do do your parents work? "
"My father is a Blacksmith. My mother assists."

The director asked the young man to show him his hands.
The young man showed a pair of hands that were soft and perfect.
"Have you ever helped your parents at their job?"
"Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, they can do the job better than I can."

"When you go home today, wash the hands of your father and mother. Then come back see me tomorrow morning, " the director asked.

The young man felt surprised but really wanted the job so shook the director's hand and left.

When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands. His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. 

When the boy began to wash he noticed his father’s hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them. He asked his mother if she would let him wash hers also. His tears began to flow.

The bruises on the hands were the price that paid for his education, his school activities, and his future. The son recognized what it meant for these two pairs of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his study.  After cleaning his parents' hands, the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time, as his mother listened and commented.

The next morning, when the young man went to his office, the director noticed the tears in the youngster's eyes when asked, "Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?"

The boy replied, "I washed my parents' hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned their workshop. Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping the family.

The director said, “I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship of others to do things, and a person who does not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired."