The secret

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.” ♥