Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve， because these things cannot be put off till “some other time”.
Mamma
After 21 years of marriage， I discovered a new way of keeping alive the spark of love. I started to go out with another woman. It was really my wifes idea.
“I know that you love her，” she said one day， taking me by surprise. “But I love YOU，” I protestedprotest n. v.主张， 断言抗议， 拒付. “I know， but you also love her.”
生命中没有什么比亲情更重要。有空多陪陪家人，因为这些事情不可以被推到“改日”。
妈妈
结婚二十一年后，我发现了一种新的保持爱之火花的方法。我开始出去约会另一个女人。要说这还是我妻子的主意。
“我知道你爱她，”一天她对我这样说，我有些惊讶。“但我也爱你，”我断言道。“不过，我知道，你也爱她。”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother， who has been a widowwidow n.寡妇 for 19 years， but the demandsdemand vt.& n.要求；需要 of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionallyoccasionally adv.偶尔；偶然.
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “Whats wrong， are you well？” she asked. My mother is the typetype n.类型 of woman who suspectssuspect vt.怀疑 vi.疑心 that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.
“I thought that it would be pleasant to pass some time with you，” I respondedrespond vi.作答；响应. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment， then said， “I would like that very much.”
妻子要我去探访的另一个女人就是我的母亲，父亲离开她已有19年了，但因为我工作要求以及要照顾三个孩子，我只是偶尔去探望她。
那天晚上，我打电话邀请她出来吃饭看电影。“怎么了？你过得好吗？”她问。我母亲是那种认为深夜打电话或意外的邀请象征坏消息的女人。
“我想与您一起度过一段时间会很愉快的，”我回应道。“只有我们两个人。”她想了片刻，便说：“其实我很愿意那样。”
That Friday after work， as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervousnervous adj.紧张的，神经质的. When I arrived at her house， I noticed that she， too， seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebratecelebrate vt.庆祝；歌颂 her last wedding anniversaryanniversary n.周年纪念日. She smiled from a face that was as radiantradiant adj.发光的， 辐射的， 容光焕发的 as an angels. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son， and they were impressed，” she said， as she got into the car. “They cant wait to hear about our meeting.”
We went to a restaurant that， although not elegantelegant adj.(举止、服饰)雅致的， was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.
星期五下班后，我便开车过去接她。我心中有点不安。当我赶到她的家时，我注意到她对于这次约会似乎也感到有些紧张。她身着外套站在门外等我。她盘起了头发，而且穿着最后一次结婚纪念日那天穿的套装，容光焕发的脸上充满笑容，她就像个天使。“我告诉朋友我和儿子一起约会，他们非常感动，”在上车时，她对我说。“他们迫不及待地想倾听我们的约会。”
我们去了一家饭店，这里虽算不上一流但却优雅舒适。母亲挽着我的手臂，仿佛她是第一夫人。
After we sat down， I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries， I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgicnostalgic adj.乡愁的， 怀旧的 smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small，” she said. “Then its time that you relax and let me return the favor，” I responded.
During the dinner we had an agreeableagreeable adj.惬意的；同意的 conversation—nothing extraordinaryextraordinary adj.非常的；非凡的—but catching up on recent events of each others life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later， she said， “Ill go out with you again， but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.
“How was your dinner date？” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined，” I answered.
我们坐定之后，我翻阅菜谱。她的眼睛仅能看清大字。透过条目的间隙，我抬眼看母亲正坐在那儿凝视着我，嘴角带着往昔的笑容。“在你小的时候，通常是我看菜谱，”她说。“现在是您休息的时候了，让我来回报你，”我回应。
吃饭的时候，我们聊得很惬意——没什么特别的事—— 只是谈到了各自生活中的近况。我们聊了很多以至错过了看电影的时间。当我送她到家时，她说：“我会和你再一起出去约会，但得是我邀请你。”我答应了。
“你们的晚宴吃的怎样？”回到家时妻子问我。“不错。超出我的想像，比那要好。”我回答。
A few days later my mother died of a massivemassive adj.厚重的， 大块的， 魁伟的， 结实的 heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didnt have a chance to do anything for her. At that moment I understood the importance of saying in time： “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve， because these things cannot be put off till “some other time”.
几天之后，母亲由于心脏病发作去世了。这样突然，我来不及为她做任何事。从那一刻起，我懂得了及时对我们所爱的人说出“我爱你”以及抽出时间陪伴他们的重要性。生命中没有什么比亲情更重要。有空多陪陪家人，因为这些事情不可以被推到“改日”。
父母把子女抚养成人后，子女忙于自己的事务，忽略了父母的情感需要，这种现象比比皆是。如果你也是这样，不要再给自己制造借口了，多花些时间陪伴父母吧，这种情感回报确实不能一推再推。在我们还能为母亲尽孝道时，把握时间，多与她们聊聊天，散散心。
