The elderly mother rested in her bed, fragile and tired after a life full of sacrifices and love.

Her hands, wrinkled by time, still held the tenderness with which, years ago, she would stroke her daughter’s forehead to calm her nighttime fears.

The daughter, immersed in work, worries, and daily routines, visited her mother less and less. There was always something more urgent, always a “tomorrow” that seemed more important.

One afternoon, feeling that her time was running out, the mother called her daughter and, with a trembling voice, asked:

— Daughter, please bring me a glass of water.

The young woman, in a hurry and not paying much attention to the request, quickly filled a glass and handed it to her mother. The elderly woman drank slowly and then looked at her daughter with a serene smile.

— You know? — she said softly — When you were little, you would wake up many nights frightened or thirsty. No matter the time or how tired I was, I would get up to bring you water, holding the glass patiently and waiting until you fell back to sleep in peace.

The daughter lowered her gaze, feeling a tightness in her heart.

— I never considered it a sacrifice — the mother continued gently — because love is not measured in renunciations, but in the small gestures of each day, in the moments when we put the well-being of others above our own comfort.

With a heavy heart, the daughter held her mother’s hand and gently stroked it.

— Forgive me, Mom… — she whispered, her eyes filled with tears — I’ve been so busy with my life, always thinking we would have more time.

The elderly woman sighed and smiled kindly.

— Time, my daughter, is the most deceptive wealth. We think we’ll always have more, but one day we realize it’s already gone. And then, what remains are memories… or regrets.

The daughter felt the weight of these words in her heart. She leaned in and kissed her mother’s forehead, with the same love she had been kissed so many times in her childhood.

— What can I do, Mom? How can I fix this?

With the little strength she had left, the mother squeezed her hand and whispered:

— Start with the simplest… Don’t wait until it’s too late to be close to those you love. Don’t delay hugs, kind words, precious moments. Life doesn’t wait.

That night, the mother fell asleep in peace, knowing that her last advice had been heard. The daughter, embracing her mother’s fragility, understood that love is not measured by the years spent together, but by the quality of the moments we choose to share.

Moral of the story: Don’t wait for a special occasion to show love and care to those by your side. Time is uncertain, but every moment given with love becomes eternal. 💖