After 21 years of marriage, my wife
wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.
She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman
loves you and would love to spend some time with you.." The other woman that my
wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but
the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her
only occasionally.
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner
and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My Mother is the type of
woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of
bad news.
"I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some
time with you," I responded "just the two of us. "She thought about it for a
moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up
I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too,
seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on.
She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate
her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
angel's. "I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they
were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear
about our meeting."
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant,
was very nice and cozy. My Mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.
After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes
could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and
saw Mother sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.
"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you
were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the
favor," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation,
nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life.
We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we
arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if
you let me invite you." I agreed.
"How was your dinner date?" Asked my wife when I got
home. "Very nice, much more than I could have imagined," I answered.
A few days later, my Mother died of a massive heart
attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for
her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt
from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this
bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there. But nevertheless, I paid
for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know
what that night meant for me. I love you, son."
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying
in time: "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.
Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they
deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."
Somebody said your Mother knows you love her, so you
don't need to tell her....somebody isn't a Mother.
Pass this along to everyone who ever has a family to
show love. It's also about appreciating the people in your lives while you have
them....no matter who that person is.
Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your
words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your
Habits, they become character. Watch your Character, for it becomes your
Destiny.
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is
fighting some kind of battle".
'As you mature, you realize it's better to find
someone who's got your back than someone who turns your head.'
Margaret margieephtfcp@yahoo.com
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