My mom had only one eye. I hated her… She was such an
embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.
There was this one day during elementary school where
my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to
me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school
one of my classmates said, “EEEE, your mom only has one eye!”
I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just
disappear. I confronted her that day and said, “If you’re only going to make me
a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?”
My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think
for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was
oblivious to her feelings.
I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do
with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.
Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had
kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one
day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even
meet her grandchildren.
When she stood by the door, my children laughed at
her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, “How
dare you come to my house and scare my children! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!”
And to this, my mother quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so
sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address.” – And she disappeared out of
sight.
One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to
my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the
reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.
My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a
single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.
“My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your
house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the
reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry
that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.
You see……..when you were very little, you got into an
accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having
to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new
world for me, in my place, with that eye.
With all my love to you,
Your mother.”
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