A second chance

Once upon a time there was a very rich man who had many possessions , a big  farm , cattle and many servants. He had an only son , one heir who wasn’t  like his father because he didn’t like to work nor to take responsibilities.

What his son liked most was to give parties and to be around his friends who  would always pamper him.

His father used to tell him that his friends were only interested in his  money.

Without the money they would eventually go away. 

The boy never paid attention to his father’s words.

One day when the man was already too old he asked one of his workers to build  a small cellar and inside the cellar he, himself, built a gibbet and put a  sign with the following saying ... 

"THAT’S FOR YOU TO LEARN NOT TO DESPISE YOUR FATHER’S WORDS."

Later on he called his son, took him to the cellar and said ...

"My son , I’m old and when I die you will inherit everything that’s mine. I know what your future will be like .... you will leave this farm on the workers’ hands.

You will spend all the money. Your friends will go away and when you are completely broke you will regret the fact that you didn’t listen to me. That’s why I built this gibbet. I built it for you and I want you to promise me that after all these happen you will hang yourself here."

The boy found everything funny but he didn’t want to contest his father’s  wish due to his old age so he promised. He didn’t think that his father was right.

Time went by, his father died, the young man assumed everything.

Just like his father had predicted the young man spent all the money , lost all the properties, his friends disappeared and in the end he lost his own dignity.

Desperate he started to think his life over and he realized that he had been a fool.

He remembered what his father said and started to cry. 

"My dear father , if I had listened to you ... and now? Well, it’s too late." he said.

Devastated the young man lifted his eyes and in the distance saw the small  cellar.

That was the only thing left. Slowly he walked towards the cellar , went  inside, saw the sign covered with dust and thought ...

"I never paid attention to my father’s words but now for the first time in my  life I’ll do it the way he wanted. I’ll fulfill my promise."

There was nothing left so he walked up the ladder, put the rope around his  neck and thought ...

"Ah!! If I had a second chance ..."

And then he jumped and for an instant he could feel the rope tightening around his neck - it was the end !

But the post holding the rope was hallow and it broke easily.

The young man fell down and a lot of jewelry, gold, silver, emeralds, pearls,  rubies, sapphires and diamonds fell on top of him. Together with all those  things there was a message ...

"This is your second chance.

I love you !

Your father."

That’s how God is with us .... He always gives us a second chance.

Unknown author