For asking one question, Daughter rejects her sick mom

The woman was visiting her sick mother when she became overwhelmed by one question. Gets was then taught an important lesson.

Every Sunday Elizabeth Larson visits her mother. She drove the 80 miles from Seattle to Port Angeles in the morning and returned in the afternoon. She loathed Sundays.

Elizabeth had tried very hard to leave Port Angeles and make Seattle a success, but her mother’s love kept her from living the life she wanted.

She had forgotten how loving and patient her mother had been | Source: Shutterstock.comTo make matters worse, Donna, Elizabeth’s mother, suffered a mild stroke that left her forgetful and repetitive. Elizabeth was becoming increasingly frustrated by the changes her once vibrant and witty mom made.

Elizabeth was bitter about Donna’s illness, and felt guilt every time she drove off. She hated going to Port Angeles and seeing her mother so changed, but she couldn’t evade her responsibility as Donna’s only child.

Our care will one day be needed by those who have lavished their love and attention upon us as children.

Elizabeth would take Donna to lunch on Sundays and pick up her mother at the assisted living facility. Her mother would struggle to eat and she would often drop her food on the counter.

Elizabeth was a spoiled only child | Source: Unsplash“Mother,”She once snapped, reaching out for a napkin to scoop up the spaghetti sauce her mother had left in her hand. “Honestly, slow down!”

Donna was overcome with tears. “I’m sorry, darling,”She said. “I’ve become so clumsy.”

Elizabeth obliged to smile “Well finish up, and we’ll go for a walk in the park before I take you back to the home.”

They walked arm-in-arm through the park, enjoying the sun and the sweet scent of the flowers. Donna exclaimed suddenly, “Oh look! What’s that?”

Now her once vibrant mother was aging | Source: UnsplashElizabeth observed her mother’s pointing fingers and saw a beautiful orange butterfly open and close its bright orange wings while it ate a large purple flower. “That looks like a Monarch butterfly, mom,”She said.

Donna smiled happily and asked again a few moments later. “Oh look! What’s that?”

Elizabeth looked at her husband. Could Elizabeth’s mother’s mental health be impaired? “It’s a butterfly, mom,”She replied. Donna nodded and hugged her daughter, but that wasn’t the end.

Donna pointed at the fluttering butterflies a bit further on and exclaimed. “Oh look! What’s that?”

“That’s a butterfly, mom,”Elizabeth answered with a slight edge in her voice. “I already told you!”

Donna nodded again. Elizabeth thought that she seemed to be understanding, but it could just be a memory issue.

"I've already told you THREE times it's a BUTTERFLY!" | Source: PexelsDonna exclaimed again, “Oh look! What’s that?”Elizabeth was tired of waiting.

She snapped. “I’ve already told you THREE times it’s a BUTTERFLY! A B-U-T-T-E-R-F-L-Y! Stop asking me what it is!”

Donna was unusually quiet on the way back to her assisted-living facility. Elizabeth felt guilty for her outburst. She followed her mother to her bedroom and looked around.

Donna had a scrapbook of Elizabeth's drawings | Source: Unsplash“I see you’ve put up all the family photos! That looks so pretty mom!” Elizabeth said, then she noticed an old scrapbook of her childhood drawings. A drawing of a butterfly was found in the scrapbook. Underneath it, Donna had written:

Today Lizzy asked me ‘What’s that’ whenever she saw a butterfly. Every time she asked I told her, ‘It’s a butterfly,’ and gave her a kiss. We saw 18 butterflies.”

When Elizabeth put down the scrapbook, tears were running down her face. “Oh, mom!” she sobbed, “I am so sorry! I have received so much from you, but so little!

Elizabeth took her mother to a butterfly sanctuary | Source: UnsplashDonna hugged daughter. “Oh Lizzy, please don’t cry! I guess as time passes mothers and daughters change places. I guess I’m harder to put up with now…”

“No, mom, I love you, and I want you to come with me to the butterfly sanctuary, and for every butterfly we see, I’m going to give you a kiss!”

What can we take away from this story?

  • We will be able to look after those who loved us as children and gave them their time.Donna was a loving mom, and Elizabeth came to her aid many years later.
  • Patience is the most kind face of love.Donna’s patience taught Elizabeth what it meant to be loved and accepted by others.

This story is worth sharing with friends. It may brighten their day or inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who left his elderly widowed mother homeless.

This account was inspired by the story of a reader, but it is written by a professional writer. To protect identities and preserve privacy, all names have been changed. Tell us your story, it might just change someone’s lives. Send your story to [email protected] if you’d like to share it.

ⓘ The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information contained on this NEWS.AMOMAMA.COM website, including all text and images, is provided for informational purposes only. NEWS.AMOMAMA.COM cannot be held responsible for any actions you take as a result. Please consult your healthcare provider before you begin any treatment.

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