never thought I’d question my mother’s priorities—until I saw the $1,800 receipt for a designer dress. With my son heading to college, I’d quietly hoped she might help with tuition. Instead, she bought something for herself.
At first, I was stunned. Growing up, she never splurged. She raised five kids on little, always sacrificing. So I asked her, gently, “Why now?”
Her reply: “Because for seventy years, I’ve been a mother first. I’ve never done anything just for me. And now, I wanted to remember who I am beyond that.”
I didn’t know what to say. She was right. She had given endlessly—for decades. This dress wasn’t indulgence; it was restoration. And while I still wish she’d helped Jason, I understand now. She wasn’t being selfish. She was finally choosing herself.
And maybe, after all she’s given us, she’s earned that right.
