HE WANTED TO BE THE REASON BEHIND HIS MAMA’S LAST SMILE

We are approaching the most waited time of the year: the Christmas season. so today i decided to go through my old stuff that i got for myself last year on Christmas eve. then i found myself staring at this Christmas card i never gave to my mother simply because we had an argument back then. then i felt a lump on my throat when i recalled that very night at the mall.

He was standing besides me. he looked so disturbed and impatient. judging from his appearance he was from a very poor background. his hair was unkempt, had long dirty nails and wore tattered clothes.people gave him the piercing you-don’t-belong-here-look but he stood there so determined to get what he wanted. “excuse me miss, allow me to pay for this neck piece while it’s on offer. i’m buying it for my mama. she has been sick the whole year and there is no much time left for her in this world. i want her to smile so that she can look beautiful if she meets Jesus tonight” those words from this small boy made my heart shatter into a million shards. i looked at the chain it was not the most expensive chain but you could tell it was out of love that the boy bought it. it was silver with a big love heart and “I LOVE YOU” written inside.

my eyes went moist but i fought my tears back. i let him go before me. he fished out what seemed like an old dirty sock and started counting the pennies. “this is not enough for that necklace” those words from the cashier really broke his heart. he had to get this necklace . “mama needs this. please give it to me” he said between sobs. he really wanted to make her mama smile. i decided to pay for the item. he broke into thankful tears as he received the item. he looked at me and out of nowhere he said “try and be the reason your mama smiles. if you have your mama alive then that is the best Christmas gift you can ever give her. A SMILE.”

i cried bitterly. not for this poor boy but because of the wisdom of his words. i cried when i remembered how many times i had gotten at loggerheads with my mama and i lacked nothing while this boy who had almost nothing would save for so long and would kill to be the reason her mama smiled before she passed on. my heart sank.

this christmas i’m putting  a smile on my mama’s face.

WILL YOU?