Rajiv was late for work. He snapped at his wife for not having his breakfast ready in time. "Don't you know I have a meeting at 10 a.m.? Why isn't my coffee ready?"
He had to drop their daughter off to play-school on his way. She was yet to put her shoes on.
He yelled, "I can't wait for you all day. If you want to come with me, get into the car in a second, or I'll be off without you."
He dashed to the school and banged the car door shut just as the little girl got off. He did not even bother to wave or to say bye to the little girl.
He sped to the office. At the door, he met his boss's wife. She said, "Rajiv could you drop me to my kitty party? The driver has taken the day off and my husband is too busy." Rajiv smiled politely and said, "Sure Ma'am, just wait here while I get my car."
He dropped her at a place that was ten minutes drive away, from work. She thanked him while getting off and he smiled broadly saying, "My pleasure, Ma'am."
By the time he got back, it was way past 10.30 a.m. He rushed to his room. On the way he banged into a stranger and his files dropped to the ground. He picked up the stranger's files and said, "Oh ! I'm so sorry I hope I didn't hurt you."
When he came home in the evening, his daughter said, "Papa, try this piece of cake. He took a bite and said, "Yuck, its horrible, did your Mama bake it?"
The little girl said, "No Papa, Reena Auntie sent it across."
Just then the phone rang. Reena was calling to speak with Rajiv's wife. Rajiv received the call and said, "Oh Hi, Reena Thanks for the lovely cake. It tastes great. Just hold on, I'll call her."
After dinner his wife said, "Let's go out for some ice cream. We haven't gone out for days. Even our daughter needs an outing."
"No," said Rajiv, "I'm tired. I want to sleep."
Ten minutes later Rajiv's cousin dropped in with her children. She said, "Hi Rajiv let's go out for coffee; the kids can all have ice cream. Come on, we'll all have fun."
Rajiv got up and said, "Okay that sounds great, lets go."
This goes on in our lives too. We are at our worst when we are with the ones who love us most. And for people who are of no consequence, we show our best face. Is it fair ? Think about it and make a comparison of how we react and how we ought to.
Your family is the one that should get the first priority, for they are the ones who stand up for you in your worst phases. Family is not merely a man, his wife and their children living together. It is a bond of love and love.