One day a man was walking down the street when he noticed an old man sitting by the roadside.
“Grandpa, you’re wise,” he said. “Tell me what to do. I’m still young and strong, yet I can’t find a decent job. My son is lazy, my daughter is running wild, and my wife doesn’t lift a finger around the house. How do I fix my life?”
The old man looked at him and replied:
“Hang a sign on your front door that says: ‘It won’t always be this way.’”
Time passed.
The man eventually found a good job. His son started a business. His daughter got married and became a kind, responsible wife. His own wife grew gentle and caring, and their home finally felt warm again.
One day, driving down the road in his car, he noticed the same old man sitting in the same spot.
“Well old man, you’re still here?” he laughed. “Everything worked out for me. So what’s your advice now?”
The old man looked at him and said quietly: “Don’t take the sign down.”