I went Christmas shopping the other day… alone.

As I was getting out of my car I noticed two ladies. One of them was thirty something the other was in her seventies. The older one was very slow and needed help along the way. The younger one seemed tired and cross. I saw them several times during my shopping spree. Each time the younger one was fussing, the older trying hard to keep up.

As the afternoon drew to a close I sat in a rest area for a moment before heading home. The two ladies came in. the younger one was in a huff.

"Hurry up mother", she said. " I don’t have all day. I have gifts to buy and wrap, food to prepare, decorating to do and a party to attend!" "I’m sorry dear", the mother said. "I should have stayed at home so I wouldn’t slow you down."

Her daughter responded, " I tried to tell you I had too much to do today to bring you along. I wish I could shop alone."

I quickly left the rest area as the tears began to fall. I reached my car in record time because I shop alone.

My mother, my best friend, my shopping buddy died of cancer seven years ago, not very long before Christmas. She was ill for quite a while before she died; so on our last few shopping trips she was very slow and needed help along the way. I would gladly forgo the buying and wrapping, the food preparation, the decorating and the parties to have one more shopping trip with my mother, or just one hug.

Please be very careful what you whish for my friend. One day all too soon you may find yourself shopping all alone.