A Beautiful Message

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another womanout to dinner and a movie. She said Ilove you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spendsome time with you.<>The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, whohas been a widow for 19 years, but thedemands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visither 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 ofwoman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation isa sign of bad news."I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you," I responded."Just the two of us."She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like thatvery much."That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bitnervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemedto 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 tocelebrate 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 theywere impressed, "she said, as she gotinto the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting". We went toa restaurant that, although notelegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she werethe First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Half waythroughthe 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," shesaid."Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothingextraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life.We talked so much that wemissed the movie.As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with youagain, 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. Ithappened so suddenly that I did to not get to doanything for her.Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurantreceipt from the same place mother and I had dined.An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't surethat I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - onefor you and the other foryour wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I loveyou, son."At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVEYOU!" and to give our loved ones thetime that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than God andyour family. Give them the time they deserve, because these thingscannot be putoff till "some other time.""Do not choose for anyone, what you do not choose for yourself"_________________There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less competition.