I could still recall the time when my mother cried throughout the night, knowing that I would be getting married and not live with her again the next day.
I grew up in a very happy family, with a loving mother, and a caring father who loved me. Since I was the only child, it was not easy to part with my parents after I got married.
I feel guilty to see my mother crying but I convinced her that I would always visit her in the future. “Mom, don’t cry, it’s not very far away. I’m only two hours away from you and dad,” I said to her.
Mother took my hand and said, “Two hours are not long? How soon are you going to come back and visit me and your dad?”
I took my mother’s hand and replied, “Mom, I promise to visit you and dad at least once a month, okay?”
Later, I moved in with my husband’s house where he stayed together with his parents. At first, it was not easy to adapt to my new family, especially my mother-in-law who seemed to always find fault at everything I did.
Her words were always harsh to my ears but deep in my heart, I knew that she actually cared about me.
However, we just could not get along with each other. Thanks to my loving husband, I managed to adapt to my new life.
Unfortunately, life was not always a bed of roses. When I was three months pregnant with my first child, I received the most devastating news in my life.
My mother passed away after she was involved in an accident. All of sudden, my life seemed bleak and empty.
I did not know what to do and what to think. I could not remember how long I was grieving for my mother’s sudden passing until it came to mind about my father.
If it was hard for me to accept her passing, it must have been even tougher for my father.
So, I told my husband that I wanted to stay with my father for a while. I could not let him mourn alone. At least, he still has me, his only daughter.
When my husband and I arrived at my parents’ house, I suddenly hear a familiar voice coming from inside the house. I was confused. My father and I did not have any other relatives who lived nearby so I was surprised to see that my father had company.
As soon as I stepped into the house, I was shocked. There, in the living room, was my parents-in-law who sat next to my grieving father. It was a sight that I never thought I would see.
My father-in-law gave my father a consoling pat on his back while my mother-in-law held his hand.
Apparently, they had been staying with my father since the funeral and had been trying to persuade him to move in with us.
“My father and I came directly from your aunt’s house. We told your father to move in with us but your father doesn’t want to. We are worried about his health. I think it might be best for you to convince your father,” my mother-in-law whispered to me.
“He’s more than welcome to stay with us. After all, we’re a family,” she smiled at me.
All these times, I thought that she was being cold to me because she did not like me as her daughter-in-law. Little did I know that I was wrong about her.
I had just lost my mother for good but at the same time, I realized I was blessed with a mother’s love once again.
