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.”