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 be 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. 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 time 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 God and your family. Give them the
time they deserve, because these things cannot be put
off till "some other time."

Pass this along to everyone with an aging parent, to a
child, to an adult, to anyone with a parent.