After 21 years of marriage, my wife surprised me with an unusual request. She asked me to take another woman out for dinner and a movie. But this wasn’t just any woman – it was my mother, who had been a widow for 19 years. My wife’s kind gesture was a reminder that my mother had been feeling lonely, and it was time for me to spend some quality time with her.
I called my mother to invite her out, and she was delighted. She had been feeling a bit down, and this was just the pick-me-up she needed. As I picked her up from her house, I was struck by how beautiful she looked. She had curled her hair and was wearing a lovely dress, just like she used to when my father was alive.
We went to a cozy restaurant, where we had a wonderful time catching up. My mother’s eyesight wasn’t what it used to be, so I had to read the menu out to her. As we chatted, I realized how much I had been neglecting my mother. I had been so busy with work and family that I hadn’t made time for her.
As the evening drew to a close, my mother thanked me for taking her out. She said it had been a wonderful evening, and she felt like a queen. I took her home, feeling grateful for the time we had spent together.
A few days later, my mother passed away suddenly. I was devastated, but as I went through her belongings, I found a note that she had written to me. It was a receipt from the restaurant where we had dined, with a note that said, “I paid for two plates, one for you and one for your wife. You will never know what that night meant to me. I love you, son.”
As I read those words, I felt a lump in my throat. I realized that I had been given a precious gift – the chance to spend one last evening with my mother. I learned a valuable lesson that day – to always make time for our loved ones, because we never know when we might lose them.
