When we were done shopping for groceries at the supermarket, Mom was a few minutes early for her next appointment at the same place. I, on the other hand, would be heading home. While she had time on her side, my parking time was ticking because this is a mall that still charged by the hour instead of a flat parking rate. I was soon approaching the end of the first hour and going into the second.
As we finished loading our shopping bags into the car, a "brilliant" idea came to my mind - I'd ask Mom to hang around the mall while I go off to beat the timer and save that additional $1.10 of parking.
Just then, before I voiced my idea, I felt my Mom's fingers slipped into mine and she held my hand. There is a sense of warmth and tenderness in a mother's touch and I felt comfort in it. I immediately abandoned the idea of asking her to wait it out herself. I stayed with her, strolling hand in hand for just a few more minutes before it was time for her to go meet her friends.
And then it hit me. What the hell was I thinking, saving $1.10 versus spending just a few more minutes with the woman who gave me life, cared for my well-being and offered me unconditional love no matter what or who I become. The woman who stood by me when I was down, who accepted me through my countless mistakes, who would give anything to let me have the best, who forgave me no matter how much I've hurt her and who has devoted her life to bring me up.
I felt terribly ashamed of my "oh-so-brilliant" idea of saving that stupid $1.10. Come the day if Mom is no longer around, I will pay anything just to spend a minute in her presence.
It'll take a while to wash off the shame I feel of myself for that moment. But at least I've come to realise that one should never take for granted the time you can share with a loved one. After all, all the money in the world can never buy you a parent.
As we finished loading our shopping bags into the car, a "brilliant" idea came to my mind - I'd ask Mom to hang around the mall while I go off to beat the timer and save that additional $1.10 of parking.
Just then, before I voiced my idea, I felt my Mom's fingers slipped into mine and she held my hand. There is a sense of warmth and tenderness in a mother's touch and I felt comfort in it. I immediately abandoned the idea of asking her to wait it out herself. I stayed with her, strolling hand in hand for just a few more minutes before it was time for her to go meet her friends.
And then it hit me. What the hell was I thinking, saving $1.10 versus spending just a few more minutes with the woman who gave me life, cared for my well-being and offered me unconditional love no matter what or who I become. The woman who stood by me when I was down, who accepted me through my countless mistakes, who would give anything to let me have the best, who forgave me no matter how much I've hurt her and who has devoted her life to bring me up.
I felt terribly ashamed of my "oh-so-brilliant" idea of saving that stupid $1.10. Come the day if Mom is no longer around, I will pay anything just to spend a minute in her presence.
It'll take a while to wash off the shame I feel of myself for that moment. But at least I've come to realise that one should never take for granted the time you can share with a loved one. After all, all the money in the world can never buy you a parent.
8 comments:
are you going to beijing with your mum? i'm sure you wouldn't mind paying for her even if it's USD$1,100 would you? ;-D
tsk!
But at least you stayed back still...
very sweet gesture...good on ya!
Now that's a much better story... here's RM1.20... keep the change... ;p
Yeah, the things we do sometimes but it's so sweet that you hit realisation so quickly. Your mum would have appreciated those few precious minutes with you. Love her with your time and attention - that's what parents really long for in their golden years.
thats so sweet of you. I'm sure your mum appreciated it. Make sure you spend more time with her
daddy nick, beijing trip is not with mom...but yes you're right, i won't hesitate to buy her a ticket anywhere she wants to go. hopefully i have the $$$ or at least know of a source to get the $$$. haha.
jason, i'm glad i stayed. :)
leonard, imagine if i had said i wanted to go home first...very unsweet then right? :P
stargazer, when we become parents, we'll learn how to deal with spoilt brats. hehe. and how we love to spend time even with spoilt brats.
mozart, so generous ;) thanks! buy you sweets with the $0.10.
bkworm, thanks for the good advise. i think parents feel more loved with time and attention instead of material things we give them, huh?
foodcrazee, i will! :)
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