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 had been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my 3  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 m other is the  type of woman who  suspects that a late night call or 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 where 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 6 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 3-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 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 4th grader with his math.

 Somebody said you can't love the 5th child as much  as you love the  first . . Somebody doesn't have 5 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 1st 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 7 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-daughter inlaw  to a mother's heartstrings.

 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.  We should also pass it on to anyone who has ever  loved and/or lost a Mother.