When You Know

I guess every parent has that moment when you know. You know...you did it right. All that ranting about grades, getting to work on time, giving 110% at practice, taking out the trash, picking up their laundry...and so much more...it sunk in and they are decent human beings.

My mother had a stroke three years ago, she currently resides at Oceanview Nursing Home in New Smyrna Beach. I stress out every holiday, what do I do with her? She is confined to a wheelchair, no mobility. All she wants to do is come home, and it is worse since my Dad died in March.

This Thanksgiving my son said "I can transport her", I thought "Yikes, this is going to be a disaster" Nope, he wrangled her into the truck, took her to the Steakhouse(they were amazingly accommodating), got her out, we had a nice dinner and he took her back. He visits her two or three times a week between his full class schedule at Stetson, his job at Publix and his life. He puts the rest of us to shame.

She asked us about Christmas today, he looked at me and said I will bring her home for Christmas, I said you realize what that means? He said "she is not spending Christmas in a nursing home, that ain't happening...I got it"

He did get it. Somewhere along the line, this kid got it. I have to remind him to unload the dishwasher but I don't have to tell him to be respectful to the elderly, to be kind to animals and be generous to the less fortunate. He got it. I hope in some small way I am responsible for that, but truly, I am just glad he got it.