Last Thursday, my dad asked me to help him change a light bulb. That was it. That was the whole request.
He’s 85. Raised three kids, fixed roofs, rebuilt engines, worked 42 years straight.
So when he said, “Can you come by this afternoon? I need help with the hallway light,” I almost laughed. “It’s just a bulb, Dad. I can swing by later.”
I arrived around five. Thirty seconds later, the hallway lit up.
He poured soup into two bowls. His hands shook slightly. We talked about nothing important.
“The house gets very quiet after sunset. I turn on lights just to hear something.” He said quietly.
And suddenly it hit me. It wasn’t about the bulb. He just wanted company. He wanted me there.
So if your parents ask for something small, go. Not for the task. For them. For your time. For your presence. And someday, you’ll be grateful you listened.
