Mom's Eye

My mom only had one eye. I hated her. She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for the students and teachers in school to support the family.

During elementary school, my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.

The next day at school, one of my classmates said, "Eeeeeks, your mom only has one eye!"
I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear.
I confronted her that day and said, "Why don't you just die if you're only going to make me a laughing stock?"
My mom did not respond. I didn't even stop to think for a second about what I had said because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted to leave the house and severed all ties with her. Hence, I studied real hard and finally won a scholarship to study abroad.

I got married and bought a house of my own. I had kids and was happy with my life. However one day, my mother came to visit me. We had not seen each other in years. She also had not met her grandchildren before.
My children laughed at her when she stood by the door. I yelled at her for coming to my place uninvited.

I screamed at her, "How dare you come to my house and scare my children!"
“Get Out Of Here! Now!"

My mother quietly answered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address."
She disappeared out of sight.

One day, I went back to my hometown for a school reunion. After the reunion, I went back to my old house out of curiosity. I found out from my neighbors that my mother had died.

I did not shed a single tear.

They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have. The content of the letter is as follows.

"My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I went to your house uninvited and caused your children to be frightened.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming back for the school reunion. However, I may not even be able to get out of bed to see you.

I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up. However, there’s a good reason why I only have one eye.

When you were very little, you got into an accident and you lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't bear to watch you having to grow up with only one eye. Hence, I gave you mine. I am proud of my son who is able to see a whole new world for me in my place with that eye.

With all my love to you,
Your mother"