A few days ago, I received a message from my daughter saying “Happy Father’s Day”. How sweet it was, because I did not expect it as I was not aware it was Father’s Day. I believe that girls are a blessing God grants fathers because they have tender hearts and are very close to their fathers, and give them a lot of warmth. Thank you my little girl - you will always be your daddy’s baby.

Allow me to share a story - I believe that it has lots of meanings and examples that one should learn from. The story goes as follows - a stranger entered a restaurant in Damascus and ordered a piece of [Arabic] bread. He ate one half and left. He did the same for a few days, until a Damascene man noticed what was going on, approached the stranger and asked politely: Why do you eat half of the bread and leave the other half? Where are you from?
The stranger said I am from Baghdad - I visited many countries but did not find anyone who keeps and remembers favors, so I eat one half and I cannot find anyone who deserves the other half. The man from Damascus, who was living with his mother and cousin, invited the stranger to lunch. When the stranger went to the house, the cousin opened the door for him and he immediately fell in love with her. When lunch was over, the stranger asked his host who the woman was. He told him she was his cousin. The stranger said he wanted to marry her, and his host agreed. The stranger took his bride to Baghdad and lived there.

The mother of the man from Damascus died after some time, and he became poor, so he sold his house to support himself, but the money did not last long, so he decided to go and visit his friend in Baghdad. Once there he learned that his friend was rich and lived in a palace. The man went to his friend’s palace and asked one of the maids to tell the friend he wanted to see him. The maid instead came back with a bag of gold coins, but he threw it away and told her I am here to see the friend.

The man from Damascus was now out of money and was sleeping outside on the streets, and all he had was to pray for a better life. An older man came by and asked him about his condition, so he told him he can barely find something to eat and told him his story. The older man offered to employ and teach him how to trade, which he learned well and became very knowledgeable. Within three years, the Damascene man became very rich and built a palace like no other.

One day, an elderly woman asked the man to allow her to work for him and he agreed, then later told him about a poor girl who also wanted to work for him, to which he agreed. The elderly lady groomed the girl well and gave her beautiful clothes - when the man from Damascus saw her, he wanted to marry her. On the wedding day, merchants and rich people were invited. When the man from Baghdad entered the palace of the man from Damascus, he told him I came to visit you, but you sent your maid with money as if I was begging, so now what do you want, and almost kicked him out of the wedding party.

The man from Baghdad told him I looked out of the window and saw how you were, so I wanted you to look good in front of your cousin. Then when I found that your pride and dignity made you reject the money, I did not know what to do for you. Then he asked - do you know who was the elderly man who taught you to trade? He is my father; and the woman who serves you - she is my mother; and I am here today to attend the wedding of my sister.
The cousin of the man from Damascus came in with a boy and a girl, then the bride came in and sat next to her, followed by the man from Baghdad and the man from Damascus. The man from Baghdad took half a piece of bread from his pocket and divided it among them all, and they ate it together.
It is good manners not to throw a stone in the well from which we drink. We are in need of those who keep our bread!