Trinity
VIP Member
- Jun 16, 2004
- 1,286
- 79
- 83
> >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 God and 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 three-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 fifth child as much as you love the
>
> >first
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >..somebody doesn't have five 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
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >..somebody 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.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
>
> >moments that take our breath away.
>
>
> >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 God and 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 three-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 fifth child as much as you love the
>
> >first
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >..somebody doesn't have five 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
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >..somebody 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.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
>
> >moments that take our breath away.
