Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Mothers
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 Mom 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 so 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.
Some time 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 it takes about six weeks to get back to
normal after you've had a baby .... somebody
doesn't know that once you're a mother, "normal" is
history.
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct
somebody never took a t hree-year-old shopping.
Somebody said being a mother is boring ...somebody
never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a
driver's permit.
Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your
child will "turn out good" ....somebody thinks a child
comes with directions and a guarantee.
Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their
voices somebody never came out the back door just in time to
see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's
kitchen window.
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
mother ....somebody never helped a fourth grader with
his math.
Somebody said you can't love the second child as much
as you love the first ....somebody doesn't have two
children.
Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her
child-rearing questions in the books . somebody never
had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is
labor and delivery .somebody never watched her
"baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten ...or
on a plane headed for military "boot camp."
Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes
closed and one hand tied behind her back ...somebody
never organized seven giggling Brownies to sell
cookies.
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
child gets married .somebo dy doesn't know that
marriage adds a new son or daughter-in- law to a
mother's heartstrings.
Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last
child leaves home ...somebody never had grandchildren.
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 all the "mothers" in your
life, and to everyone who ever had a mother.
This isn't just about being a mother, it's about
appreciating the people in your life while you have
them....no matter who that person is.
