Once upon a time, there was a son who, after his father’s death, made the life-altering decision to leave his elderly mother at an old age home. To make himself feel a bit less guilty, he visited her from time to time. One day, however, he got a call that shook him to his core. The voice on the other end informed him that his mother was very serious.

Rushing to the old age home, he saw his mom — frail and lying on her death bed. The room was silent except for the beeping of medical machines and the quiet shuffling of nurses’ feet. His heart ached with regret and sorrow as he asked, “Mom, what can I do for you?”

With a weak but determined voice, his mother replied, “Please, install fans in the old age home. There are none, and the summer heat can be unbearable. Also, invest in a fridge for the kitchen, as the food often spoils quickly, and many nights I’ve gone to bed hungry.”

Her son’s eyes widened with astonishment. “Why didn’t you tell me about these things before? Why wait until now, when you only have a few hours left to live?”

His mother took a deep, labored breath and continued, “I bore these troubles silently, son, because I love you and didn’t want to burden you further. But now, as I lie here in my final hours, my thoughts are not of me but of you and your future. I ask these things not for myself but for others who will come after me. You see, one day you might find yourself here, and God forbid, your own children might leave you just as you left me. What you give is what you get.”

Her final words hung in the air, thick with meaning. “What you give is what you get.”

The son stood there, memories flooding back, a river of regret streaming down his face. His mother’s wisdom was a bitter pill to swallow, yet it was the most valuable lesson she ever taught him.