Stealing from one's Parents

As this week is Parshas Yisro, and we lain the Ten Commandments, I figured it would only be appropriate to discuss one of Rav Moshe's Teshuvas dealing with them. I decided on commandment numero cinco. honoring your parents. As an important side point: the halachos and rules in regards to honoring your parents are pretty simple, yet for some reason people don't seem to keep them. Further, if you ask anyone why don't they stand for their parents, or why do they sit in their parents chairs they often reply with the Gemara that says "a parent who wants to mochel (forgo) their honor, may". To which I often reply, Did you ever hear them say that? Further, Rav Ovadia Yosef writes even if a parent is mochel, still a child should continue to honor their parents. By honoring your parents, it instills in you a minute respect of how to serve and honor Hashem. The story (CM 1 question 88) goes as follows: a Ba'al Teshuva came to Rav Moshe and said "I want to be a frum a jew." He goes on to list all his "questionable" behaviors" he had done as a child and teen and asked Rav Moshe "which actions do I need teshuva for and what is the teshuva I should do?" In regards to stealing from his parents, Rav Moshe said he must pay them back or at least make sure they verbally forgive him for stealing. This fellow also apparently took his lunch money from his parents and spent it on things other than lunch. Does this require teshuva? Rav Moshe responds that since his parents never verbally declared the money must be used for lunch, it was just assumed, technically that isn't stealing. The basis of this ruling is a gemara in Bava Mitzia 78 in which there is an argument whether doing something against the wishes/intent of your master is stealing. Rav Moshe says we paskin (rule) it is not stealing and thus he does not need to repay his parents. However, that is only to fulfill his requirement not to steal, but in regards to honoring his parents since he clearly did not show respect to them, by obviously going against their wishes , he must ask forgiveness from his parents. When reading this we should all be struck with how careful we must be in honoring our parents. How often do we take our parents and the items they lovingly give us for granted? We must all make a concerted effort to work on this lax area. Too often, we see young children who have no respect for authority and discipline. It is our responsibility to make sure we don't have the same weakness. There are tremendous seforim and books that explain this topic. Pick one up at your local bookstore, or borrow from a friend. Let us all begin to appreciate and respect the greatest gift Hashem gave us: loving parents.