A little gratitude, please

I had my 18 month old grandson here for a little while today. His mom had a couple of job interviews. He is a happy, sweet little boy and pretty easy to have around. I was happy to help out.

However, taking care of my grandson made me think back to the days many years ago when I relied on my own mother for a lot of child care. I worked six days a week from 7 AM until 3 PM. My mother took care of my son for 5 of those six days. I would drop my son of at 6:30 AM and not pick him up until 3:30 PM. She took care of him for a couple of years - 5 days a week. Looking back, I don't think I ever appreciated what she did for me. She was always fully dressed when I arrived at 6:30 AM, and when I came back, her home didn't look like a toddler had spent the day there. It never crossed my mind that she may have been exhausted, not feeling well or would just plain rather have done something else with her time.

Several years later as a single mother, I called my mother to take care of the same child when he had the chicken pox. I had to work and, of course, day care wouldn't take a kid with chicken pox. My mother lived about 40 miles away then. Without hesitation, she came and got my son and kept until at her house until he was pox free.

I think that most of us take a lot for granted in life. I just expected that my mother (and my father as well) would help me out when ever I called. I know that I never really expressed much gratitude to her. It's too late now since she passed away over 24 years ago.

Anyway, thanks Mom for all that you did for me. I understand now how hard it may have been at times. But you never complained.