But her mother's eyes never made it all the way to the table.“Just look at this mess!"she moaned.“How many times have I talked to you about cleaning up after yourself?"“But Mom,I was only.."“I should make you clean this up right now ,but I'm too tired to stay up with you to make sure you get it done right," her mother said.26“Honey," Cindy's father interjected gently,"take a look at table,”“I know——it's a mess," his wife said coldly._ 27 _ She stormed up the stairs and into her room , slamming the door shut behind her.For a few moments Cindy and her father stood silently, neither one knowing what to say. At last she looked up at him, her eyes moist and red.“She never saw the cake," she said.28 From time to time we all allow ourselves to be blinded to issues of long term significance by stuff that seems awfully important right now, but isn't. Muddy shoes, lost lunch money and messy kitchens are troublesome, and they. deserve their place among life's frustrations.29 Is a lost dollar more valuable than a youngster 's emerging dignity? And while kitchen sanitation is important, is it worth the sacrifice of tender feelings and relationships?I'm not saying that our children don't need to learn responsibility,or to occasionally suffer the painful consequences of their own bad choices.30But as parents, we must never forget that we’re not just teaching lessons-- we re teaching children. That means there are times when we really need to see the mess in the kitchen, and times when we only need to see the cake.A. "The whole kitchen is a disaster. I can't stand to look at it.”B. But what's a little mud--even on new carpet- compared to a child's self- esteem?C. She gestured grandly toward the kitchen table, where a slightly off- balance two- layer chocolate cake awaited their inspection.D. Those lessons are vital,and need to be carefully taught.E.“So you'll do it first thing in the morning."F. Unfortunately ,Cindy s mother isn't the only parent who suffers from Situational Timbercular Glaucoma--- the occasional inability to see the forest for the trees.
Solar-power satellites will use radio waves to beam energy down form space.