BeingAnOdia

FAMILY  After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.”         The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.         My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late-night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”         That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at he...

A shepherd, in one of his trips to look after his flock, took with him one of his children, a boy three years old. After crossing his pastures for some time, followed by his dog, he found it necessary to ascend a hill at some distance, to obtain a better view of his range.  As the climb was too much for the little child, he left him on a small plain at the bottom, telling him not to stir from it until his return. Scarcely had he gained the top of the hill, however, when the sky was darkened by a thick mist.  The anxious father at once hurried back to find his child; but owing to the unusual darkness, he missed his way. After a fruitless search of many hours, he discovered that he had reached the bottom of the valley, and was near his own cottage. To renew the search that night was both vain and most dangerous; he was, therefore, compelled to go home,    The next morning, by break of day, the shepherd, with many of his neighbors, set out to look for the child; but aft...