No Charge

         The little boy suddenly came up to his mother and handed her a piece of paper when she was busy in preparing dinner. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it:

                  For cutting the grass                                $5.00

                  For cleaning up my room this week        $1.00

                  For going to the store for you                     . 50

                  For-babysitting my kid brother                   . 25

                  Taking out the garbage.                           $1.00

                  For getting a good report card.                $5.00

                  For cleaning up, and raking the yard.      $2.00

                  Total owned:                                            $14.75                  

        After reading, his mother looked at him standing there, expectantly. She picked up the pen, turned the paper over and wrote:

 Nine months I carried you while you were inside me:        No charge.

 The time I've sat with you, doctored and prayed for you:   No charge

For the tears that you've caused through the years:              No charge

For all the nights that I couldn't sleep because of the worries I Knew were ahead: No charge.

For all the toy, food, clothes, that I gave to you through the years: there's No charge, son.

And when you add it all up, the full cost of real love is, No charge.

        When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were great big old tears in his eyes. He looked straight at his mother and said, " Mom, I sure do love you."

         And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote : "PAID IN FULL."

                                                                           - M. Adams