The Gift

A little boy comes into his Mother’s room, in his hands he carries a small shoebox lovingly decorated with childlike drawings of hearts and scribbles. He beams with pride as he sits down on the bed next to his Mother and hands her the box.

”What’s this?” She asks ”A gift, just for me?” The little boy smiles nodding and encourages her to open it. As she lifts the lid, she finds nothing inside. Looking up at her smiling boy she waits for enlightenment. ”I put all my love for you in there Mommy” As her heart sinks, she tightly hugs her little man and kisses him on the forehead. She closes her eyes and wipes a tear away.

On his Graduation day his Mother stands beaming beside him. Tearful to see her son on the brink of adulthood, eager to see the man he’ll become. Cameras are flashing in every direction and he looks at his Mother ”Just one of the two of us?” She places her arms around her son and smiles proudly for the picture.

Now a man he stands nervous awaiting his bride. All eyes sit patiently smiling, flowers cover the room and he looks at the front and smiles at his Mother. She sits armed with tissues, watching her little boy become a married man. Her heart leaps right out of her chest when he kisses his bride, never more proud she cries knowing he’ll become a loving husband.

The phone rings, at the news she catches her breath and says nervously ”I’m on my way”. When she arrives at the hospital she sees her son standing with a wide smile. ‘‘Its a boy!” She screams with excitement and he takes her to the room where Mother and child sit exhausted. His wife smiles and hands her the baby. ”He looks just like you did” She says to her son. ”Poor kid” He says jokingly and she flashes a grin. Her son, now a Father, no more proud could she be.

As the years pass by, two more grandchildren arrive. Her home filled with pictures and memories of her family. Her body grows slow, her mind ever sharp and she sits thankful for each blessing she’s had in her life. Heartbroken, her little boy sits by her bedside. She gazes up at him and smiles ”I want you to have something” and she points to the shelf of her bedside table. Her son pulls out an old shoebox, faded now are the hearts and scribbles, but still he can see. Confused he looks at his Mother and lifts the lid. Inside sits an envelope, with his name lovingly written on the front.

My Dearest Son,

One day I sat in my room alone, worrying. It was two days before your 7th birthday and I had very little money to buy you a present. You came into the room holding this box, I’ll never forget how proud you looked to give it to me. When I opened it, there was nothing inside, you looked at me and quite simply said it had all your love for me in it. It was the best gift anyone had ever given me.

This box has seen me through all the hardships in my life and gave me strength anytime I needed it. Whenever I would sit in my room worrying, I sat holding this box remembering your little face. I’ve watched you become a man, a Husband, a Father but always, always you were my little boy.

That day you filled this box with every bit of love for me, so I’ve spent the years filling it with all my pride for you. Your love saw me through the darkest days. There isn’t a thank you worthy enough for this gift, so I will simply say

I love you with all my heart.

Mom

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