Preparing for the test...update

Well this week has been very tiring. I have so much terminology on my mind that I think is going to snap. I still have to review the insurance and finance parts. I'll leave the results to God, whatever happens would be fine with me. If I pass to God be the glory, if I don't...I'll always have another opportunity in the future. I still do not know exactly when is it, because all taking the test will have different schedules, but we have been told that between the 4th and the 7th of january. I believe challenges are always good, as they do not let you dwell in your comfort area. To be honest, the type of calls I am interpreting now, are no challenge to me any longer. I could interpret them with my eyes closed. Of course there is always one or two in which you have no idea of the subject and you have to pay a lot of attention to what is being said, for example in my case that would be technical and computer terminology calls, that they use such things as loop, link, fallen circuit. Now I know a lot of them in spanish because I've had to look them up while interpreting. So I think that medical calls would definitely be a challenge. That' s good. As a christian I try to be as excellent as possible in what I do and how I behave. It's by God's grace that I have accomplished what I have so far, because it is definitely not in me. Everything I am I owe to HIM.

So this is to you God: --Thanks for being so faithful to me, even in my unfaithfulness. I wish there was a greater word as "thanks" doesn't seem good enough to express what I feel. Without You my life has no meaning. You have been with me through the good and bad times, and there is no friend here on earth who can compare to You. You are the best on my life and I really do not know what I would do without you. Please forgive me for the times I haven't done what I should have done and help me reflect your character to others. That when they see me they can see a little bit of you. I wish it could be more than just a little, but I am still a sinner. I love you and hope that as Job, You could someday say about me that "there is no one on earth like her". What a privilege...out of God's own mouth. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

He is really my "All in All"

I love the lyrics on this song:

You are my strength when I am weak,
you are the treasure that I seek,
You are my all in all.

Seeking you as a precious jewel,
Lord to give up I'd be a fool,
You are my all in all.

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is your name (x2)

Taking my cross, my sin, my shame,
Rising again, I bless your name
You are my all in all.

When I fall down, you pick me up
When I am dry, you fill my cup,
You are my all in all.

Surprises, surprises...

Well this week has been full of surprises. I forgot to mention before, that last week on the early morning hours of Sunday, like around 3:30 a.m., we had a small earth tremor. I was sleeping, but had to get up to go to work like in 10 minutes, and that thing woke me. Immediately I was reminded about a service a few weeks before in which my pastor during the sermon said that it was going to tremble, but that we shouldn't be afraid, that God would still be in control. The epicenter was off out at sea in the Atlantic side and later I found out that it had been like 5.6 in the Richter scale. There were no damages. Panama has been blessed, because we never have these natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes or tidal waves. We are such a small country and have so much ocean to both sides that if one of this disasters occurred, I think we would disappear or something. So I thank God for his goodness towards my country.

Second surprise, I was given the 24th off, but I have to work on the evening of the 25th. I was not expecting to have this day off, so I thank God for it. Also on thursday the 23rd they let me get out earlier, like 2 hours before.

Third surprise, on the 23rd when I was leaving work, I had to go to the general manager office to look for something, when I was there I saw this huge pile of wrapped gifts and I knew they were for a raffle they do for Christmas. I was telling my friend, "surely they'll do the raffle tomorrow when we are not here"...too bad I thought, because I also remembered that last year, if your name came out but you where not there, they took out another name. "I never win anything anyways"...I thought, and it's true, I never win anything on this raffle type of stuff. But to my surprise, I did win this time and they kept it for me...I won a microwave, which I think I will sell, as at home we already have one. So I thank God for the microwave also!

Now I will like to share a little bit of my pastors sermon last week on friday. I thought it was very good. It's amazing how rich the word of God is. This year my pastor has been speaking the whole year about God's visitation. Last friday he preached about "the enemies of God's visit". The passage that he used is Psalms 106.

Enemies:

1) Verses 7-13. The first problem can be ourselves. In this passage it were the people themselves, they did not understand and rebelled against God (v.7), they forgot what God had done, they forgot all the miracles, all the plagues, the death of the first borns, etc. Please God let us understand what is going on and never let me rebel against you simply because I do not understand. Rebellion against God can't be among us.

2) Verses 13-15. Another enemy can be impatience. They did not wait for God's counsel and God gave them what they asked for. Be careful what you ask for. You can have serious problems if you become impatient, it may lead you to make mistakes. You can start comparing things. You can't compare God things...."ohh, we were so much better in Egypt, we had good food there". You shouldn't compare yourself with anybody. Impatience is just a step away from ingratitude, it makes you forget what God has done, it leads you to a lack of hope. Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

3) Verses 16-17. Another enemy can be envy. Be careful with being jealous. Do not give in to these feelings, or God will have to first remove them from your heart. (Numbers 16). Envy and jealousy can contaminate you, these feelings look for another person to also contaminate, and they keep you from the seeing the good in the person you are being envious about. They stop and hold you from going forward. They were not happy with what they had, but were uncomfortable with what they didn't have. Be joyful with what God has given you.

4) Verses 19-22. Idolatry. They changed His glory for an image of a bull, who eats grass. Don't let us never change your presence, your glory, for anything else. There are moments in life when we feel God is silent. But we walk by faith, not by sight, not by feelings. When we substitute what guides us, what guides our decisions and our life, with something else that is not God, we have an idol. There can't be anything that directs you in what you are going to do or not, if it's not God. When you can't see Moses in the wilderness, what takes the place of what guides your path?

5) Verses 24-25. Incredulity. They did not believe his promise. Be very careful with this enemy, is very hidden and secret inside. The wilderness was coming to an end, but they did not believe. Whenever you are going to receive something big from God, there is a space of spiritual conflict, you can have attacks from all over. God had already told them since the beginning, since Egypt, that He was going to get them into the promised land, don't believe the giants. They chose to believe the giants and not God's word. Faith is not for good times. It's easy to have faith when you are doing well. Never believe the negative report. Incredulity corrupts, contaminates, blinds, stops you from seeing what God wants to do, magnifies the negative. Faith magnifies God's power and diminishes the negative. God will never visit someone who doesn't believe. (John 12:37-43).

6) Verse 32. Be careful with contamination. They angered the Lord. When we contaminate ourselves God does not visit us. Moses was irritated and tired of the rebellion of the people. (Numbers 20:2-13) Never blame God or another person for what is happening to you. Be careful when following God's instructions. Moses was angry and instead of speaking to the rock he struck it twice.

7) Verses 34- on. Do not abandon God's principles, you can fall into this worlds temptations. If you are friend with the world you are God's enemy. Being worldy is a spirit, a style and its practices can sometimes get into the church. Do not make allegiance with other nations, with the world, when you least expect it you will be oppressed by them.

But thank God that He is merciful...He doesn't leave us nor forsake us, he is the God of the second chance. Verses 44-on. He is not forgetful, like we are. What He promises, He delivers.


GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Still here...

Yes, I am still alive, it's just that I am so tired that I haven't been connecting to the internet lately. I found out that the tests at work are going to be done between the 4th and the 7th of january. So very soon I would know. Calls are slowing down gradually as X-mas approaches, I'm tired of listening to Christmas music whenever we are placed on hold...Jesus! I went to church on Friday and the message was very good, I'll write more about it tomorrow...I'm getting some sleep now.

Telethon 2004

Yesterday it started here in my country an event that takes place every year around this same time. It is a telethon in which they raise money, from donations, for panamanian disabled children. They use the money to build hospitals, get equipment for special types of procedures and so forth. Companies donate a lot of money and regular people donate what they can. I think it is very good to try to help children that for some reason are not completely healthy. This helps me appreciate the blessing of being healthy, not only me but my family. It is very good to see these children not letting their disability stop them from believing and having faith.

Several artists (singers mainly) come from all over to present their music as their donation. People then go see the artists and also donate. Every year there is a child they choose to be the symbol of the telethon, this year his name is Jose Luis Gonzalez and he is 9 years old. He is missing his arms and legs and has to use three prothesis, that enable him to move normally. The organizers of the event said they chose Jose because he has a strong spirit and is a fighter, so he was able to represent disable children from Panama. I believe the amount they are trying to reach this year is 3 million and a half. They always reach the goal. People can make donations online at www.teleton.com. It's in spanish, so if you don't speak spanish, for donating you simply have to click where it says "Dona Aqui".

This is the logo for this year and the motto is "I am the telethon".

The child on the pictures is Jose Luis, thanks to the Shrines program and the 20-30 foundation, he was able to travel in 1998 to Louisiana to the Shriners Hospital of Children, where he was operated and he received a prothesis on his legs that allowed him to walk. He had two more interventions and he needs to keep on traveling to the States for his treatments every 6 to 12 months, until he is 18 or until the Dr. says the treatment is finished.

Start with what you have, not with what you are missing

Today I'm going to be sharing a little more of what I have read on the book that I mentioned before. Just a little update, second day of insurance training, by the second hour I was falling asleep. Sorry, too much information, too much talking. I was falling asleep...a friend actually fell asleep, not slightly, but profoundly. It is interesting, but it's a lot of information and after 2 hours of hearing the trainer talk...well...we are only humans. No test until January. They gave me my schedule for the next two weeks and there is no test scheduled, unless it's after work hours, which I doubt. Now they have requested us to do first person interpreting instead of third, so I am going to feel really, really, really stupid. You wouldn't believe what these spanish speaking people say, and now I would have to interpret it and it's going to sound like if I am saying it, not them. I guess the client should know, but still, I'll feel stupid. Later, some other day I will write the second part of the scenarios, in which I will write about what the LEP says. If you thought the clients comments were funny, wait till you read about the other side of the conversation.

Now to a segment that I liked on the book:

God has given you all you need to start creating your future. Nevertheless, a lot of us find ourselves saying: "If I only had this...maybe if this was different...if I had more money, I could do all God wants me to do", while we don't look at the seeds God has already planted inside us. People always exaggerate the importance of the things they don't have.

Don't allow what you can't do, stop you from doing what you can . Don't wait until extraordinary circumstances to do something good, do it on common situations.

True greatness is to show excellence on everything, even small things. Nobody is going to be truly happy until you learn how to get benefits of what you already have and stop worrying of what you don't have. You'll never reach greater accomplishments, unless you take the chance even before being ready. Nobody reaches success while waiting for all the conditions to be "ideal". The Bible says on Ecclesiastes 11:4 "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap". If you wait always until the conditions are perfect, maybe you'll never get anywhere. Just do it...with what you have.

Coming back after a few days...

Well I took a few days off from writing on the blog. Over the weekend, I was enjoying my two days off. I went and did some shopping, which drives me crazy. But I did it anyways and got a few gifts. At work I'm participating on the "secret santa" gift giving, so I was trying to find something for the guy I'm supposed to give a gift to. I found something for him, but I still have one more gift to go, which is when I'm going to let him know it was me; that is on X-mas week. I already received my first gift, 2 still to go. I think I know who it is, she doesn't know how to disguise it. She was asking me all kinds of questions...we'll see.

On Sunday I went to church, my pastor didn't preach but another pastor from Houston, TX did. He was Mexican and for some reason, he kept reminding me of our LEP's at work, I guess it was the accent. He preached about Hebrews 11:13, 22. "They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance". Even if circumstances seem totally against you, or against what you know God has promised, you still need to believe. I was thinking about it, these people died without seeing the promised land, Moses who took the Israelites out of Egypt, couldn't go into the promised land, but they kept their faith. Is hard sometimes to keep faith when everything seems to be against you or circumstances seem totally out of control, but that is the beauty of faith. Knowing that whatever the situation, God is in control, even if it doesn't feel or seem like it. We can be sure of what we are hoping for, through Christ.

Yesterday I didn't go to work, I wasn't feeling very well. Today I did go, and to my surprise I had to mentor a new hire, so I didn't have to interpret today, just listen to her. And then I had my first day of insurance training. We are looking at all the auto coverages so far. We haven't gotten to auto parts yet. Let see how it goes.

Another week

Another week goes by, it's amazing how time passes so quickly. Today I finished my finance training. So much information about the stock market, stocks, bonds, retirement plans, mortgages, refinancing. The trainer was from Colombia but she lives in St. Petersburg, FL, and on the training there were interpreters from the Costa Rica and Panama centers. Costa Ricans have such a cute accent, in spanish, I guess they would say that we also have an accent. In english you couldn't tell, very good english. Next week I finish all the trainings with the insurance training. Automobile terminology....uuggghh!!!. Well I am sure whatever I don't know about auto parts so far, I will definitely learn next week.

I guess after that the test is coming. I am asking God to help me as it is a lot of information to process in just 4 weeks. I do believe I know a lot of it. For example in finance, except for the stock market calls, most of the others we have already interpreted them. I just ask God to help me be calm during the test, because since the test is done on a call, they call us from California and do the different scenarios of the different types of calls, if you are too nervous, even though you know the words either in spanish or english you can forget them at the moment or because of the nerves you don't write down all the information you are hearing, so you give an incomplete rendition. It is not like a written test that you can think about your answer, nop.......you have seconds to process the information either into english or spanish and give the interpretation. I'll let you know how did it go.

This weekend I have both days off....yeahhh!!! Summer is coming to Panama, I love it! I hope that on January I can go to the beach, it has been ages (at least it feels like that) since I went to the beach. I need to get some color on my skin, I'm too pale right now, being indoors too much.

Mother's Day

Today we celebrated Mother's Day here in Panama. Why do we celebrate it differently from the rest of the world? Who knows? I believe it has to do something with the catholic church, this is a date that they celebrate the virgin, or something, so as our society is mainly catholic, we celebrate Mother's Day today. So today was a holiday, but as always I had to work.

After work I had a really nice time with my family. We went out for a late lunch. Restaurants were full, but we had a nice family time anyways. I have been blessed with a great mother, she is a very good friend. There are girls who can't say that, so I'm very happy with the relationship I have with my mother.

I love you mom, you're the best!!!

Experiences as an interpreter

Well I said that I was going to write about some of the experiences as an over-the-phone interpreter. These are only a few (very few) of them. The ones I was able to remember today, with the help of some friends at work, between calls. We hear so many stupid things that we just have to roll our eyes during calls and keep our best customer service voice at all times.

I would like to give a little explanation so that it can be better understood. There are three people in our calls on conference, the client (english speaking person), the LEP (it's an acronym for Limited English Speaker, in other words in my case the spanish speaking person) and me! (the interpreter).

Most of the questions or remarks that do not make any sense to us are made by the LEP, but today I will write a few examples of the ones done by our clients (english speakers). I hope you let your imagination roll and can picture these scenarios in your mind.



Scenario # 1

After the client introduces herself/himself

Client: Thank you interpreter, I have Miss Perez on the other line, she doesn't speak any english at all, because I already tried and she didn't understand me (laughing). May I conference her in?

Interpreter: Of course!

Client: Thank you Miss Perez, I do have an interpreter on the line who will assists us further, ok?

LEP: (in a very low, very shy, very unsure voice) speake spanish?

Interpreter: (thinking it but not voicing it - HELLO?!, didn't you just tell me she doesn't speak nor understand any english at all? how are you going to ask her if it is ok? and tell her that you have an interpreter on the line, she is not going to understand!)...................proceeds in spanish...I'm going to be your interpreter, how can we help you today Miss Perez?

Scenario # 2

LEP is calling to find out about a letter that he received but that he doesn't understand because it's in english. After 5 minutes of interpreting, the call is getting to a close and the CLIENT is going to send some other papers for the LEP to fill out, LEP has to follow the instructions that are on the papers.

Client: Interpreter, ask him if he would like the papers in spanish?

Interpreter: (thinking it but not voicing it - haven't I been interpreting for 5 minutes because this person doesn't understand english?)

What do you think the LEP's answer was to that question?

Scenario # 3

Client: Interpreter, ask her how we can help her today?

Interpreter: in spanish - how can we help you today ma'am?

LEP: I would like to check my balance and transfer some funds from one account to the other.

Interpreter: interprets it into english

Client: certainly, tell her that I'd be happy to assist her, but first I will need to verify some information for security purposes.

Interpreter: interprets into spanish.

LEP: of course.

Client: What are the last 4 digits of her s.s. #, mother's maiden name, and date of birth?

Interpreter: into spanish.

LEP: 5648, Rivera, 07/18/74.

Interpreter: into english.

Client: Thank you very much for verifying that information and how can we help her today?

Interpreter: (thinking it but not voicing it - didn't I just interpret that at the beginning?)

a little note here: as interpreters, we can't voice our opinions or make suggestions, we are just there to interpret. In a case like this, even though we know because we asked before that the lady wants to transfer funds and check her balance, we have to ask her again whatever the client tells us.

Scenario # 4

Client and LEP are in the same room, they are both hearing the interpreter over a speakerphone. At the end of the call, client is writing down some numbers for the LEP.

Client: Interpreter, do you think he will understand if I am writing these numbers in english?

Interpreter: (thinking......numbers in english??? what does that mean? numbers are numbers!!!) I'm sure he'll understand, ma'am.

Scenario # 5

The client is a bank representative advising the LEP about some features that come with her checking account.

Client: Please tell her that she has a service called Direct Deposit and another one that is online banking. Does she have access to the internet?

Interpreter: into spanish.

LEP: Noooo I don't have internet, I don't even know how to use a computer!

Interpreter: into english.

Client: ok, if not she can certainly use our telephone automated system to check her balances, order checks, transfer between accounts.

Interpreter: into spanish.

LEP: ok.

Client: does she have an e-mail that we can send her information about her account and future promotions?

Interpreter: (thinking....didn't she just say that she doesn't even know how to use a computer, doesn't have internet, much less have an e-mail account???????).

Well, what do you think the answer was for this one?

I hope you enjoyed a little of what I have to handle everyday.

Crazy holiday season

I don't know if it is like this in other parts of the world, but here when the holidays come everything and everyone kind of go crazy. Awful long lines everywhere (I hate them), horrible traffic - and when I say horrible traffic, I mean it. I think Panama is one of the worst places to drive. People don't respect the traffic signs and everybody does what they want. Buses and taxis are the worst. My aunt from Miami says that if you can drive in Panama, you can drive anywhere. I am usually a very calm person, but in traffic here I can really loose my temper...even a dead person would rise and die all over again. And in December it just gets worst, if a thing like that is actually possible (and believe me, it is).

It's amazing to see people who have saved for the entire year, spending it all in just a few days. Spending, some of them, in things they don't even need. People say they don't have money, but they are buying until they have nothing less to spend. I think this mentality is very narrow and it's funny to see how a few years ago for example, you could be without a mobile tel., but today if you don't have one...God forbid. Don't get me wrong, if you have enough money to spend, I have nothing against that, please do. But if there are more important things, and if what you are buying is not really necessary, why not saving it for something really important or investing it. Is that the meaning of the holiday at all? I don't think so. Of course for me celebrating Jesus, relatives and friends is a year round thing. There are people who called themselves Christians, but just remember God once a year, at X-mas. And they go to a mass or services on these days, and they feel like if they are giving God so much. Like if we could do anything for Him...what a joke. God knows us, we can't trick Him (1 Samuel 16:7).

Where is my head????

Can you believe that I left a friend at work, when I was supposed to take her home?? I felt so bad. But honestly I thought that another co-worker was going to give her a ride. Like an hour after I left work, she called me on my cellphone and asked me - "Didn't you leave something at the office?".
I started thinking about it and was getting a little annoyed with myself for leaving something behind, so I told her - "Not that I remember, what did I leave?"
She tells me - "ME!!"
I'm like - "WHATTT???!!!!". I think I was choking or something, hehehe. I felt very bad. I simply thought that somebody else was taking her home.

Maika if you read this...I apologize...again. I guess I had too much in my mind at the time. When I say I am going to do something I try my best to do it. Oh well.

I found a book at home that I had bought several years ago and I started reading it again. It's called "YOU'RE BORN AN ORIGINAL, DON'T DIE A COPY". I would like to share something that I read:

"Fear wants you to runaway from something that is not chasing you. Fear likes to take faith's place. Both have a lot in common: they both believe that something you can't see will happen. Faith ends where fear starts and fear ends where faith starts. Our worst thoughts almost never happen and most of our worries die in vain expectation. As Alice Caldwell Rice said: "there is no reason to open the umbrella until it starts to rain."

Psalm 27:1 - The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 56:4 - In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

The majority of people believe in their doubts and doubt what they believe (I specially liked this sentence). Lots of people are so full of fears that they run around life trying to get away from something that is not chasing them. If you fear the future, that is a way of wasting your present. Don't be afraid of tomorrow. God is already there.
Don't fear trusting a God who is certain, with an uncertain future."

Training

As I mentioned before, right now I'm going through a training to become a more specialized kind of interpreter in certain areas. Tomorrow I am going to complete two weeks of medical training and next week and the week after, I will be receiving finance and insurance trainings, one each week. For some reason I am particularly worried about recorded statements. I have already interpreted insurance calls, regarding how the accident happened, an if anyone was injured and all that. But just knowing that it's being "recorded" and that sometimes the LEP (Limited English speaking person) is with his/her lawyer, it makes me worry more. Of course, there is also the tiny little detail that I am not very good with auto parts, neither in english nor spanish, I'm sad to say. So I will have to study those more. Finance is the one I am most comfortable with, I just have to get more acquainted with the stock market and investment system in the U.S. With medical we also have to be very careful. In the training we were told that there was a case once (not with one of our interpreters.....THANK GOD!!!), that a on-site interpreter for LAOTIAN (language that they speak in LAOS, near Thailand and China) since there was not a word for suppository in that language, and instead of advising the doctor about this and asking him how she could explain this to the patient, interpreted it as "pill", which is totally wrong, totally different. The patient instead of inserting the suppository through his rectum, was swallowing them....aagghh! Of course, instead of getting better, he was getting worst. When he came back to see the doctor and the doctor found out that he was swallowing them instead of the other way around...you can imagine how upset the doctor was. And the patient said - "well that is what the interpreter told me". Imagine that!! That interpreter could have killed that patient!!! I imagine she was sued or something. But we as interpreters have to be very careful of what we say, and if we are not certain, we can always double check with the person that we are interpreting for.

I still have to get back to the cultural barriers that we encounter. I will mention that some other day. Also I will be posting some of the situations that we find on calls. Let me just say that I have heard on these calls some of the most outrageous and stupid things of my life. Not on all calls of course, but on many. Later!

The Other Woman

I was so tired that I slept a lot this afternoon, now I can't sleep and I have to work tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. Currently at work I am receiving a medical training to become a more specialized kind of interpreter. I will write about it later, as I thought it was very interesting the differences that you can encounter when dealing with different cultures.

I read this and thought it was very moving. How important it is to say what we feel to the people we love and care about. I apologize in advance if there are any mistakes as I translated this from spanish.


The other woman.

My wife recommended me to go out with another woman.
A while ago I started going out with another woman, actually it had been my wife's idea.
"You know you love her" - she told me one day, taking me by surprise. "Life is too short, spend time with her".
"But I love you" - I protested.
"I know, but you also love her".

The other woman my wife wanted me to visit, was my mother. She had become a widow a few years ago and my work and kids had prevented me from visiting her, only occasionally.

That night I called her to invite her to dinner and to go to the movies. "What is going on? Are you ok?" she asked me. My mother is the type of woman that a late call at night or an unexpected invitation, signals that there is something wrong or some type of bad news.

"I thought it would be nice to spend some time with you" - I answered. "Just the two of us...What do you think?". She thought about it for a minute and said "I would like that a lot".

That Friday while I was driving from work to pick her up, I found myself kind of nervous, the way you feel before a date. Goodness!! When I arrived I saw that she was very moved. She was expecting me at her front door, with her old coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress she wore on the celebration of her last wedding anniversary, she had a smile on her face and was glowing like an angel.

"I told my friends that I was going out with my son and they were really excited" - she told me while she was getting in the car - "I'm sure they can't wait until tomorrow to hear about it".

We went to a restaurant that was not very fancy, but very cozy. My mother was holding my arm, like if she was the first lady of the nation. When we sat down I had to read her the menu, her eyes could only see big letters. When I was halfway down the menu, I lifted my eyes and my mom was just sitting there, on the other side of the table, watching me. She had a nostalgic smile on her face. "I was the one that read the menu to you when you were small, do you remember?"

"It's time for you to relax and allow me to return the favor" - I answered.

During dinner we had a nice conversation, nothing extraordinary, just getting up to date with each others lives. We talked so much that we missed going to the movies.

"I will go out with you again, only if you let me invite you" - My mom told me when I was dropping her off at home. I hugged her and kissed her.

"How was the date?" - my wife wanted to know.

"Very nice, thanks. A lot more than I expected" - I answered.

Days later my mother died of a massive heart attack, everything happened so quickly, I couldn't do anything.

A while later I received an envelope from the restaurant we had dinner at and a note that said: "I paid dinner in advance, I was almost certain I was not going to be able to make it and be there, but I still paid for two, for you and your wife. You'll never understand what that night meant to me. I LOVE YOU!"

At that moment I understood the importance of saying "I love you" on time and to give our loved ones the space they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than God and your family, give them the time they deserve.

If your mother lives.........enjoy her
If not..................remember her

You can't make time go back.