— Mom, I can’t take care of you! I have my own life!
I’m already over forty. I have children, a job, and a lot of responsibilities. During the day, I don’t even have time to sit down, and my husband complains that I don’t pay enough attention to him. As if he doesn’t notice that after work, I clean and cook.
On top of that, I have to help the kids with their homework — something he doesn’t want to do. Mom never really tried to help me. She used to take care of the grandchildren when they were very little, but later, she somehow drifted away. However, that didn’t stop her from calling me every day and asking me to visit.
— Mom, don’t you understand that I’m running around like a hamster on a wheel? I have absolutely no free time! Plus, my laptop is in repair. I have to take every extra job I can to pay for it.
I couldn’t come over on the weekend because I was finishing a report for two days. And in the evening, we went to the movies with the kids — they had been asking me for a month. A few days later, Mom started calling again.
— Just come for ten minutes!
— Mom, I can’t just drop everything! I have my own life. I can’t take care of you!
After saying that, I hung up. It annoyed me that Mom didn’t seem to hear me at all. From that moment on, she stopped calling. I thought she was offended. But when I called her, her number was turned off. I had to drop everything and go to her place.
Mom didn’t open the door. Luckily, I had my own key and could get inside.
She was lying there as if she were asleep. I called her name several times, but she didn’t respond. When I touched her, I realized that I had arrived too late.
On the table, there was a box with a new laptop. She knew that my old one was completely broken. She wanted to give it to me as a gift, which is why she had been calling so persistently and inviting me over. And now, what am I supposed to do with it?
I sat next to her and just started crying. I will never forgive myself for this indifference. I hope my story will serve as a lesson for someone.
Talk to your loved ones, visit them, and find at least a few minutes for them every day so that you don’t end up in my place. No one knows when your last meeting will be.
I don’t know how to live with this now. What should I do?
