Son Doesn’t Find Time to Visit Lonely Older Mother until He Receives Call from Hospital – Story of the Day

A son who never had time to visit his lonely mother was shocked when he got a call from the hospital. He canceled an important business trip and flew to meet her. Tears gushed down his face as he froze at a heartbreaking sight.

The auditorium echoed with applause during the graduation ceremony. Students held their chins up while their parents watched them receive their awards. Then the principal announced, "The Academic Excellence Award goes to Ben Carter!"

Ben looked around for his mom, Grace. She was excited the entire week about his graduation and was supposed to be seated in the front row, but she wasn't there.

"Where is she?" Ben mumbled. He seemed lost and couldn't focus on the speech he delivered. While the other students enjoyed the event with their parents, Ben walked to a corner and cried in silence. Poor Ben. He hurried to his house and what he saw jolted him...

"So, gentlemen, I hope this meeting was interesting...And I want the blueprint ready by tomorrow," Grace was saying.

Ben couldn't believe his eyes. His mom had missed an important event in his life because she was in a business meeting she'd organized at home. "How could she forget it was my graduation today?" Ben fumed.

"She's on life support in her home. Please hurry up."

Grace apologized to Ben for missing his graduation, but with each passing day, her devotion to her business docked her time for Ben even more.

After divorcing her husband ten years ago, Grace worked very hard to raise her son. She wanted Ben to have only the best things in the world and lead a first-class life. She provided everything for him, from expensive world tours to cruises and galas. But nothing pleased him.

Five years had passed since Ben graduated, but he could barely count the times his mother sat down and talked to him. Though Grace wanted him to join her company, he refused.

Ben was passionate about becoming a musician, but sadly, Grace was too busy to discuss his future. Feeling neglected by his mother, he decided to walk out of his nest and establish his life independently.

"But why do you have to work when we have more than enough for generations?" Grace asked Ben. "Do you really have to go this far to work?"

But Ben was determined. "I'm 24, and I need to do something about my future...." he said. That evening, he flew to Georgia to join a new software company. Also, he had a few friends who were a part of a music band, so he hatched a plan to establish a career while living his musical dream.

The hole his mother left in his life remained, and her absence didn't make a big difference to him. During these two years, Grace had been busier. She barely video called Ben 15 times in two years.

Ben knew their lives were meant to be this way. However, the last straw was when he wanted to introduce his girlfriend, Madie, to his mother. Unsurprisingly, Grace was too busy to remember that he'd scheduled a Zoom meeting. He tried reaching out via video call, but Grace never attended. Neither did she return any of his messages and voice notes.

"That's it...I'm done!" Ben angrily muttered. "Why does my mom never have even a minute for me? She says she does everything for me, but I don't get it."

Ben focused on his work for the next few months, and it got the best of him. On the other hand, Grace had decided to retire and was very excited about it. "FINALLY! I CAN SPEND ALL THE TIME I HAVE WITH MY SON NOW!" she sighed. But it was too late when she realized it.

Grace retired a week after officially handing over the managerial duties to her partner. She reached out to Ben and even booked him a plane ticket. But she was disheartened when he turned it down.

"I have an important meeting the entire next week...I'm sorry, but we'll have to postpone it," Ben's message to his mom read.

Grace impatiently waited for the week to pass. Again, she reached out to Ben on a Saturday, but to her dismay, he told her he had an important business trip to Africa. "I'm so sorry, mom, but I'll be gone to Africa to meet a client. Sorry...Maybe next time!"

Grace was furious. "No time for your mother???" she fumed.

A few days later, Ben was in the middle of an important meeting when he received a call from the hospital. "Mr. Carter, you must come quickly because your mother's condition has worsened. She's on life support in her home. Please hurry up."

Ben was shocked. With just a day left for his trip to Africa, he canceled it and immediately flew to his hometown in Alaska.

Ben rushed home to see his mother. But when he arrived there, he was stunned. "Hey there! Glad to see you...FINALLY!" Grace laughed.

Ben was furious. He threw the briefcase on the couch and walked to her. "SO, WAS IT A LIE? WERE YOU NOT ILL?"

Grace tried convincing him that she had no choice but to fake her illness to make him come home. She made her secretary call Ben under the pretext of the doctor. "You had no time for me, so I had to do this...I'm sorry!"

Ben was jolted. "DID YOU HAVE TIME FOR ME, MOM?" he retorted. "YOU WERE NEVER THERE WHEN I NEEDED YOU THE MOST! Do you have any idea what I went through when I saw my friends' parents cheer for them in school?" The house echoed with Ben's agonies.

"My girlfriend...she's pregnant, and we wanted to discuss our marriage with you two months ago. Did you respond to my messages, mom?"

At this point, Grace realized her mistake. Tears gushed down her eyes as she sat on the couch, her wet face buried in her hands. "I am so sorry... I worked hard for you... I wanted us to be happy... I wanted you to have a big estate and a prosperous life."

Ben was unmoved. He told Grace that life wasn't about money and luxuries alone. "It's love that matters the most, mom... That's why I'm making sure I'll always be there for my child...I won't raise another Ben!"

Grace felt embarrassed and sorry. Although she wanted, she knew she couldn't go back in time and make up for the beautiful moments of Ben she'd lost. She sobbed inconsolably. "PLEASE GIVE ME ONE CHANCE...I PROMISE TO BE A GOOD GRANDMA...PLEASE!"

Grace's genuine apology melted Ben's heart. He patted her on the shoulder and smiled. "Just one last chance, and if you still don't have time for us, then that's it!" he said.

From that day onward, Grace often visited Ben and his girlfriend. She had even taken on the job of organizing their wedding and kept herself occupied planning for her grandchild.

Grace's devotion to her family released a sigh of happiness in Ben's life. He no longer regretted her past mistakes but only looked forward to their good times ahead!

What can we learn from this story?

• What goes around comes around, Grace worked hard because she wanted her son to have everything in life, but she was too busy to spend time with him. Years later, she regretted her mistake when the tables were turned.
• Children reflect on their parents' actions. Ben was frustrated growing up with the lack of his mom's presence in his life. She was always busy and barely had time for him. Thus, when it was her turn to ask for his time, he did the same.

Click here to read about a woman who left her inheritance to a little boy next door after her sons refused to visit her.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Please share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you want to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.