Know This by Doing: Washing My Mother’s Feet
Know this by doing it yourself: Washing my mother's feet
After returning from volunteering at the LinYi Station of Chinese Benevolence, I conducted a profound reflection.
Filial piety is the root of everything! In recent years, I have been immersed in false roles for work, jeopardizing my family relationship and filial piety. I have frequently neglected my parents, never genuinely caring about what they were thinking or needing.
Upon returning, I desperately wanted to see my parents. Previously, when I visited, I was like a guest, leaving as soon as I finished eating. My parents would often scold me for not understanding them. Because I've always loved learning, my father would never let me do any chores. When I visited, I was few, and I would come with my sisters, who did all the housework like cleaning and washing dishes. I just said a few nice words.
This time, standing before my parents, I felt immense guilt. My parents were busy cooking as usual, and I said, 'Let me help!' I had learned to cook, so I asked, 'Mom, you don't have to do it yourself!' I cleaned, swept, and washed dishes, always trying to do one more than them, hoping they could finish everything. Seeing that every room in the house was messy and dirty, I began to tidy up while my parents were eating. My father has a bad throat, so I taught him how to protect it. After cleaning, I returned to the table and saw that my father had half a bowl of soup left over. I immediately picked it up and drank it. When my mother noticed, she quickly snatched the bowl away and said, 'Don't drink it, throw it away!' I drank it while saying, 'When I was a student, my tutor drank my leftover soup. This time, when we were doing volunteer work, the catering team shared leftover student soup, so why not my father's?' My seventy-plus-year-old father wiped away tears.
After eating, I chatted with my parents. I heard that my father's legs were weak and had no strength, so I gave him some advice. My mother's stomach was sensitive, and I had never cared about her so much in so many years. Seeing my mother's white hair and seeing her relieved expression because of my change, my heart ached, but it was also filled with joy. 'Know this by doing it yourself' – my filial piety has awakened, and it's not too late!
Before leaving, I want to wash my mother's feet. My father resisted, saying all kinds of nonsense, and he still hadn't adapted to my changes. My mother readily accepted it. I brought a bucket of hot water, took off her shoes and socks, and put her thin, aged feet in the warm water. While massaging the water, I knelt down, focusing completely and carefully washing her feet for the first time in my life. Time flowed slowly, I added hot water to keep the water warm until I dried her feet and put on her socks and shoes.
On the way back, my heart was filled with satisfaction, peace, and happiness, I realized that…Washing my mother's feet brought me so much joy and made me deeply love this world!
