Tara & Liam
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THE DINNER DATE
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."
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. And someone else to worry about.
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.
Pass this along to all the "mothers" in your life.
I think we should also pass it on to anyone who has ever loved and/or lost a
mother.
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."
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. And someone else to worry about.
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.
Pass this along to all the "mothers" in your life.
I think we should also pass it on to anyone who has ever loved and/or lost a
mother.
