March 8 2022
Word: Memory
As the clouds rumbled throughout the sky of the farmland countryside, the heartwrenching whimper of a woman overwhelmed the neighbors with anxiousness. They struggled to relieve the woman from constant pain, reciting comforting words and holding her hand in an effort to encourage her. As the storm passed by, a heart-warming cry echoed throughout the house. The woman held her baby in her arms, holding the tiny hands of the infant as her mouth stretched into a smile. Thus, a life was born.
A child clinged onto his mother's leg, pleading to cook his favorite dish. The mother crouched down, staring into her child's gaze, and reassured him with a grin. "I promise to make your favorite burger steak. It's going to be so delicious, you'll want a second serving. If you behave, I might even cook a third serving." The child nodded meekly and held his mother's hand.
The child jumped around in excitement as soon as they opened the entrance to their home. With no time to waste, the mother quickly wore her apron and started molding the burger patties in her palm. The child ran beside her and shouted "let me help you!" and molded his own patty. The two laughed at each other in joy.
In the end, the mother ate her son's patties regardless of how poorly it was made. While the child held his face with a pleased expression as he was chewing. Gulping down his food, he shouted "you're the best, mom!" as he ate another spoonful.
"I hate you."
The once playful child grew into a rebellious teenager, resenting his mother. He started to ignore his mother's requests, listening to his friends instead. He would go around fooling with his friends at night, leaving his mother alone at the dinner table. Their relationship only became more distant when he moved out of the house.
"I love you," the mother said with a smile as she saw her son's back leaving the house with luggages.
The once rebellious teenager became a busy businessman, running around in the office and fulfilling errands. His work was tedious. But it earns him enough money to maintain his livelihood.
One day during his office hours, his phone rang throughout the presentation room. Apologizing, he went outside the room to receive the call. Looking at the caller, it read 'unknown caller,' which only irritated him. Reluctantly, he answered the call. He dropped his phone in disbelief, wearing a devastating expression.
He abandoned his presentation and went to a hospital. There, he saw his bedridden mother connected to life support, stuck in a coma. His mother contracted an illness which restricted her overall movement and brain activity.
He fell and cried beside his mother, sobbing remorseful words; apologizing for not being there for her, apologizing for not caring for her, and apologizing for everything he had done.
His mother was on her deathbed. She suffered every second she breathed. Even after years of constant treatment, she never regained consciousness.
One day, he visited his mother at the hospital with a banquet of flowers. When he arrived outside his mother's room, a wave of distress loomed in the hallways as nurses rushed inside. Denied entry, he waited in the hallways, praying to a god he never believed once in his life to heal his mother's pain.
As hours passed, the anxiousness only grew. Finally, the time had come. One of the nurses approached him and said, "I am saddened to inform you that your mother's time in this world might end."
"W-when do you think that is?" he stuttered in fear, looking into the nurse's gaze with his teary eyes.
"It might happen any time." The nurse said. "It is not in my place to say this, but please cherish the remaining time you have with your mother. Talk to her about things you haven't talked about, reminisce about your time with her, remain happy as the clock is ticking." The nurse held his hand. "Don't let this be the end of your relationship."
Tears trailed down his cheeks. "Thank you." he said.
It has been months since he was informed about his mother's eventual death. Every day, he visited his mother with a smile on his face, talking to her about various things— his success in work, his family, and the past.
One day, as he rambled about everything he could think of, a feeling of warmth surprised him. Looking to his right, he saw his mother open her eyes and hold his hand. "Mother!" he shouted, tears fell from his eyes as he went for a hug. It was a long awaited reunion of a mother and her son.
"So…n," the mother whispered, struggling to even let out a voice.
The son broke his hug and gazed into the loving eyes of his mother. "What is it, mom?" he said, tilting his head like a puppy desperate for attention.
The mother struggled to lift her hand, slowly reaching onto her son's hand. Holding his hand with all her strength, her mouth opened. "I love you." she said with an open mouth smile.
The strength in her hand disappeared, letting go of her son's hand. Her eyes slowly closed as life gradually left her. A noise echoed throughout the room, a sound similar to those who have tinnitus— the sound of the heart monitor flattening.
It has been years since his mother died from an untimely death. Everything started by holding his hand, and everything ended by holding his hand. From only remembering the moment his mother clinged onto his hand as the illness withered her life, he reminisced numerous memories from his life— the happy, the sad, and the unforgettable.
He longed for his mother's love, following her to the end of the earth like a chick walking behind the mother hen. He stayed the same despite the passage of time; a child who unconditionally loved his mother.