Hello eku, dee de iwoyio.
I
would like to share another short story with you again this month. Enjoy it.
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 had been a widow
for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my 3 children had made it possible
to see 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 late-night calls or surprise invitations are a sign of bad news.
“I
thought 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 at 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. Halfway 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 in 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.
At
that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I love you,” and
giving 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.”
Happy birthday if you were born in November. You were brought into this world to be a blessing and inspiration to the people around you! May you be given more birthdays to fulfill all of your dreams!”
Have a great month everybody! Stay safe and stay healthy.
Eric
O. Thompson
YAJ.
