Although they were only a year apart, Harry and Walter were very different. Instead of relying on their family’s riches, Harry chose to strike up on his own and work hard for what he had.

Meanwhile, Walter always had his eyes on the prize. When his parents died, he knew that staying close to his grandparents would one day get him the inheritance he believed he deserved. He worked in the business his father left him and Harry, putting work above everything else.

Before their grandmother’s death, she asked them for one thing: “My dear grandsons, your late grandfather built this house for me when we were only starting out. I have lived in it all my life, and you have had fond memories here, too. All I ask is for you to please rebuild it in your grandfather’s memory,” she said on her death bed.

“I promised him that the house he built for me would be passed on from generation to generation, and I want to fulfill that promise before I go. Please, do that for me,” she had told them.

Harry and Walter nodded, but only one was being genuine. That day in the lawyer’s office, it was clear who had their grandmother’s interest at heart.

“Your grandmother leaves to both of you her house,” the lawyer told them. Walter was silent for a while, waiting for him to say more. When he didn’t, he decided to speak.

“What else?” Walter asked.

“Nothing else. That is all that is in her will,” the lawyer told him.

“What?! That can’t be! What about all her money? Her jewelry? I know she had a lot!” he screamed.

“We have already searched the house for any valuables, and none were found. She had already closed her bank account before she died. This is all she had left,” the lawyer explained.

Still furious, Walter stormed outside the office with Harry following behind him. “We need to fulfill grandma’s wish,” Harry told his brother.

“For what? She won’t know that we didn’t waste any money rebuilding that old house. I don’t want anything to do with that house. Do with it as you please,” Walter told him before driving away.

Harry wanted to fulfill his grandmother’s wish but knew he had no money. He had a lot of debt and only made enough money for his family’s necessities.

He decided to use his savings and borrow additional funding from his wealthy friend to rebuild his grandmother’s house. While rebuilding it himself, he was fixing the sewage system in the front lawn when he noticed a wooden hatch as he dug the ground.

“What is this?” he said to himself as pulled the opening. He opened the hatch, and it opened directly to a short flight of stairs that led to an underground room. He went down with a bright lamp and was surprised by what he discovered.

There was a wooden chest in the room with a letter on top. Harry’s grandfather had written the letter before he passed away, and it read:

“To my grandson Harry,

You are most likely reading this letter right now. If you are, you have been very obedient to your grandmother and to me, too. I told her to let you know of her last wish before she passed, and you reading this means you’ve fulfilled it. For this, I am grateful. If you are reading this with Walter, I am happy that he had a change of heart and that you two are working together.

Don’t worry. Your grandmother and I are safe now and are watching over you from above. We hope you use this house and everything in it to enjoy life with your families. Now, take this letter and show it to my lawyer. There, you will find what you deserve. With love, Grandpa.”

Harry couldn’t believe his eyes. He read the letter multiple times before deciding to open the chest. In the trunk were family albums and a box of jewelry that his grandparents owned.

That same day, he decided to meet with his grandparents’ lawyer, and he handed him the letter. “He always knew that it’d be you handing over this letter one day, Harry,” the lawyer admitted.

Harry couldn’t help but smile. “I do love my grandparents a whole lot. I’d fulfill their wishes any day,” he replied.

“I’m transferring ownership of a bank account under your grandfather’s name to you. It has about $300,000. He said that if you didn’t decide to rebuild your grandmother’s house, I should transfer all of this to charity,” the lawyer explained.

After knowing this, Harry decided to donate to charity anyway. He donated $100,000 to charities working with the elderly and kept the rest to himself. With the money, he paid off his debts, completely rebuilt his grandmother’s house, and started a business for him and his wife.

In the end, they sold the house they lived in and moved into his grandmother’s house. Their cafe business launched successfully, and they had more than enough money to live life comfortably and without debt.

What can we learn from this story?

• Our elders do not owe us anything. While some people leave an inheritance for their children and grandchildren, they are not obligated to do so. Walter expected a hefty sum from his grandparents and was disappointed when he did not get it. Meanwhile, Harry did not expect anything at all, and he was blessed with more than he could ever imagine.
• Family should come above material possessions and wealth. Harry and Walter couldn’t be any more different. Harry worked to provide his family with their needs while spending quality time with them. On the other hand, Walter prioritized gaining wealth over his family. In the end, Walter continued with this mentality, while Harry was able to live comfortably while enjoying the fruits of his hard work with his loved ones.