Do you ever have those moments, as an adult, when you remember what a specific person has done for you? I mean, what they did meant everything, but it was just a usual day for the person who gave to you. I remember when my Mom was a full-time nurse and she would fix her schedule to be off during the week. At times it felt like she was on vacation but she was not. Sometimes she accrued a lot of days off because she worked seven to ten straight days without a off day. When I had school field trips, she rearranged her work schedule to be off. But that’s not what and why I started writing this story.
I remember when my Mom was off from work and she picked me up from school. I didn’t have to wait because I could see her inside the car in the parking lot. When I got home the house was cleaner. I could see fresh fruit and donuts from the bakery on the table. Often, she would get me something. To her it was small, but to me it was everything at the time. I can’t remember exact details but it may have been something like a plastic banana clip for my hair or more activator for my jerry curl or chocolate brownies. It was always something small, new or extra I didn’t have before.
After my brother graduated from college, was officially out the house and living on his own, I asked Momma if I could move into his old room. It was bigger than mine. She told me I could, but said it might take a couple of days because my furniture was so heavy and hard to move. A few days later when she was off from work, I came home to see my brother’s stuff in my room. I walked into my brother’s old room and saw all my things. I felt so good inside. Momma switched our rooms. His room had two windows, a walk-in closet and blue shag carpet. I was so excited. The simple change of scenery made me dance in my room with the door closed.
I guess my point is you don’t realize you have everything until you look back at it and it’s your turn to do the same for others.
Copyright © 2022 by Allura Eshmun