A middle-aged woman stares at a beggar on the street. | Source: Flickr/Ian Livesey (public domain) A mother’s heart shattered when she came upon a filthy, homeless beggar on the street corner and identified him as her long-lost son. He was the same devoted boy who had left her when she was disabled. Gracie’s day had been hard and exhausting, and she was grateful to the sky for showing her some mercy. It was a stormy evening, and Gracie, 47, felt fortunate that the raindrops had ceased when she stepped out of the gym in an unfamiliar neighborhood. She had traveled to the remote village to stand in for her close friend, Diana, and teach her yoga students for the day.

She was standing at the bus station, facing the cold and attempting to keep her teeth from chattering when she noticed a young beggar sitting close. With his frail body wrapped in a ragged blanket, the man helplessly peered into his alms bowl. Without hesitation, Gracie took out her purse to offer him some change so he could buy a warm supper. But as she neared the man, a shudder rushed down her spine, and she froze in place. Her face became ashen, as if she had seen a ghost. When Gracie recognized the man, her heart began to race so quickly that she worried it would stop…

“Tyler? Is it REALLY you?” she cried when she saw her son, who had been reduced to begging for crumbs on the street. The beggar recoiled in fear as he attempted to hide his face from the mother he had abandoned three years ago when she was disabled. How could he forget that face? How could he not recognize the voice? And how could he forget the dreadful night three years ago, when he learned of his mother’s accident?

You were never a hardship for your mother, who bore your weight in her belly. Never make her feel like she is a burden to you.
It was a cold night on December 23. Tyler, 24, was having fun at a party, laughing and joking with his friends and hitting on random girls. His phone started ringing, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. “Whose number is this?” he mumbled as he looked down and noticed an unknown number flashing on his cell phone screen. But he was so busy partying that he ignored it and continued to have fun with his pals.

However, the calls wouldn’t stop coming, and Tyler was irritated when his phone vibrated in his pocket. When Tyler finally answered the phone, he said, “Who the hell is this?” “Tyler… it’s me… Ricky.” Tyler asked his younger brother, “Ricky? Whose number is this? What happened to your phone?” “My phone’s battery is dead… Tyler, it’s MOM,” Ricky said, his voice cracking. “She’s was in a car accident.” Tyler’s heart stopped as he raced from the raucous tavern. “Mom… WHAT? Oh no… What happened to mom? Is she alright??” he exclaimed, his mind racing with a million worst-case scenarios. “Mom’s alright. But I’m still scared. Could you please come to the hospital?” replied Ricky.

Tyler understood that every second counted. But, after hearing from his brother that their mother was fine, he smirked and returned to the pub to continue the party.Tyler finally decided to take a taxi to the hospital after two hours of deliberation. Ricky’s enraged yell echoed down the hallway as his brother stormed into the hospital in search of their mother’s ward. “What took you so damn long?” Ricky yelled at Tyler. “Why do I seem so important now? Did you suddenly realize I’m your older brother… mom’s eldest son who deserved all her love and attention?” Tyler growled at Ricky.

“You’re her favorite son, aren’t you? You’re always the first in everything… so why should I waste my time comin’ in early?” “Are you out of your mind, Tyler? Mom’s admitted here. She’s had a terrible accident. You know what? You’re so sick… and selfish… that’s why everyone hates you!” Ricky’s remarks hit Tyler like a slap in the face. He was deeply offended, and it hurt his ego to confess he was wrong. “Fine!” Tyler yelled. “I’m leaving… And don’t come to me for help with anything, okay? Let mom’s BELOVED son take care of her!”

Tyler stormed out of the hospital, blazing with rage. He couldn’t shake the sense that his own brother would speak out against him. Gracie sat in her hospital bed, tired from several surgeries. She had worked her way to success in life, but a horrible automobile accident and mounting medical bills would force her to sell her beloved firm. But perhaps more distressing was seeing her two adored boys drift apart. After her husband abandoned her with two children for another woman, Gracie faced her fate and raised her children. She was not interested in finding love again because she saw her sons as the whole purpose of her life.

Gracie swallowed her emotions, and Ricky was her rock during her hospital stay and even after she was released. He frequently took breaks from college to stay by her side and ensure she was okay. What about Tyler? He preferred to party with his pals than spend time with his mother, who had been rendered paralyzed. However, when Ricky was unable to take a vital entrance exam, he was compelled to stay at home and care for his mother. Tyler helped Gracie, but not in the way she had planned. “Oh, dear! Ricky has forgotten to get these medicines. Tyler, honey, could you please run to the drugstore?” Gracie begged her son, who was busy messaging his buddies on his phone.

“Sweetie… I need to take these pills before lunch… Could you please…” “What do you want, mom?” Tyler yelled, taking the prescription from Gracie’s grasp. “Who’ll give me the money? I don’t have money to get your medicines.” “It’s in there,” Gracie remarked, handing Tyler the key to her cupboard. He got her the pills and was furious everytime she asked him for water or to take her to the restroom. Gracie was devastated by Tyler’s look of impatience and fury. “I’m sorry for bothering you,” Gracie wailed as Tyler shouted at her for contacting him again.

“I didn’t expect my son would treat me this way.” “Oh really?” Tyler yelled at his mom. “What did you expect when you dumped me with grandma when I was a kid?”
Gracie felt a dagger in her heart as she reminisced on her history. Ricky, Gracie’s second son, was a newborn when her ex-husband abandoned her and the children. So she had left her eldest son Tyler with his grandmother and taken Ricky to work because he was still a newborn and required extra attention and care. This didn’t set well with Tyler. He was envious of his younger brother and couldn’t stop himself from picking conflicts with him as they got older.

Furthermore, he believed his younger brother was their mother’s golden kid, therefore he never forgave Gracie, believing she was playing favorites. Tyler failed to realize that a mother would never divide her love for her children. Gracie’s two sons were the light of her life, and she would never chose to pick one eye while pricking the other. “I didn’t abandon you,” Gracie wailed, her voice barely above a whisper and her lips parched. Tyler’s words made her choke up. “I worked hard day and night to feed the family… to keep the roof over our heads. To give you a good education. But you spent all the money from your college fund on your parties, girls… and friends.”

Gracie felt a stinging ache flood over her as she completed her sentence. She peered into Tyler’s eyes, hoping for a response to soothe her spirit. “Yeah, whatever! When’s your pet coming home? I have some important work, and I need to go…” Tyler stormed out of his mother’s room without waiting for her to finish talking, peering into her eyes. If only Gracie had known that was the final time she’d see Tyler! That evening, Ricky arrived home to find his mother deep sleeping. But Tyler wasn’t anywhere near her.

Ricky assumed he was partying with his pals, but something didn’t feel right, especially when he noticed his mother’s cabinet slightly ajar. Ricky’s heart sunk as he examined the cabinet and discovered that a large portion of Gracie’s money had been stolen. He couldn’t believe his own brother would act like way. Ricky called Tyler, but there was no answer. And when he called again, Tyler’s phone was turned off. Ricky’s heart sank as he realized his brother had stolen their mother’s hard-earned money and left without a trace. “Mom… wake up… Tyler is missing. He’s stolen your money,” Ricky exclaimed, startling Gracie awake.

“I’m reporting him to the cops.” But to his surprise, his mother intervened, pleading with him not to do it. The room fell silent as Gracie burst into tears. She was guilty of raising an irresponsible son like Tyler. But she still loved him and couldn’t picture him being imprisoned. “I don’t know how much time I have left… But I want to spend all the time I have with you before God calls me.” Tyler has been missing for three awful years. And Gracie had cried every day, fighting for God to bring him back… to bring back her darling son. During these three years, Gracie gathered her broken parts to face her fate. Following the accident, her life had taken a new direction. She couldn’t go back to work since she had sold the business she had developed from the ground up.

However, a savior appeared, marking a turning moment in Gracie’s life. Gracie met her best friend Diana, who referred her to a cutting-edge rehabilitation facility. Gracie’s health improved over time, and she was able to stand up again owing to yoga and her willpower. As time passed, Gracie began teaching yoga at a gym. Ricky attended college, and everything appeared to be normal, except for Gracie’s insatiable desire to find Tyler. She gave up when her attempts proved useless and opted to move on. Tyler was an adult with power over his own life, so Gracie preferred to focus on her own life for the time being, hoping that her son would return eventually.

Tyler had haunted her dreams for three years, pleading for forgiveness and claiming he was punished for wronging her. Nothing made sense to Gracie. She felt those were nightmares, but the worst nightmare was when she came across her kid begging for alms that day. “Tyler… is it you?” Gracie’s shaky voice surprised the homeless guy again, bringing them back to the present. The man turned away, attempting to conceal his dirty face from her. How could Gracie not recognize her son? She felt a wave of anguish and pain as she realized the homeless man begging for alms was her son, Tyler.

“Wait… I know it’s you… STOP!” Gracie insisted, clutching Tyler’s hand as he stood up to leave. “Yeah, it’s me, mom!” Tyler said, his voice breaking down with anguish, as if he had been waiting for this moment to cry his heart out. “I don’t deserve to even look at you. Please go. Don’t come near me.” “No, I’m not leaving without you. What happened, sweetie? I looked for you everywhere… I even asked your friends, but nobody told me anything. What happened to you? I thought you would at least be happy…” “I’m an awful son, mom. I don’t deserve your love… please go,” Tyler whispered.

But Gracie was adamant and pressured him for the truth, only to collapse into tears at the end of Tyler’s admission. “I was afraid of wasting my youth looking after you when you were paralyzed. I stole some money and ran away. I had a great life with my friends and girlfriends. I partied every day, even went on cruises. But when my money ran out, all my friends started leaving one by one. I applied for a job as a janitor coz I couldn’t find anything else without a college degree. I had to take a medical test for that role.”

Tyler hesitated as the tears flowed. “What happened, darling?” Gracie was concerned. “Everything was over after that one test, Mom. My whole life was ruined. I have AIDS, mom.” Tyler said something that made Gracie’s world spin. “I went to my friends and girlfriends asking for help. But they turned me away. I knew you and Ricky would still love me and take me in even if I told you I had AIDS. But I was so guilty and decided never to see you again,” said Tyler, tears running down his cheeks. “Mom, are you still angry with me for leaving you?”

“No! Life has already given you enough grief and regret. Come… let’s go home!” replied Gracie, holding Tyler’s hand and waving to a taxi. “Mom? Are you serious? Are you taking me home with you? But I have AIDS.” “Son, it’s just AIDS… you, however, are my son. My flesh and blood. How can I leave you on the road like this?” Tyler’s eyes welled up with tears, and his heart beat with remorse as he stepped into the cab with his mother. He couldn’t wait to see his younger brother, who he assumed would greet him with a loving smile.

But Ricky was beyond furious at Tyler’s sudden homecoming. “Mom, he betrayed you. He just dumped you and disappeared in your hardest moment. I am not gonna agree with this. He’s not staying with us,” Ricky expressed his disappointment to Gracie. Torn between Ricky’s rage and Tyler’s helplessness, Gracie sent Tyler away with enough money to rent a hotel. She needed time to persuade Ricky and ensure Tyler had somewhere to stay. “You’re out of your mind, mom. Just wait and watch! That bum will spend even this money on parties and beg on the streets again!” Ricky snickered.

v

The days stretched into weeks, and Gracie never heard from Tyler again. She was disappointed and questioned whether she’d done the right thing by forgiving Tyler. One evening, she was upset when she saw Tyler outside a luxurious restaurant, believing Ricky was correct about his brother. Gracie stormed up to meet him, but was taken aback by a tear-jerking surprise. “Mom!” Tyler exclaimed. “I was just about to call you!” Gracie was taken aback, and before she could figure out what was going on, Tyler brought her into the restaurant and to a table with her favorite strawberry cake, chicken casserole, and champagne.

“Happy birthday, mom! May you live long… and stay blessed. May that smile on your face never fade, and may God bless me with another chance to be born in your womb again!” Tyler had finally found work as a builder, and he was fortunate that his health difficulties did not prevent him from being hired. He worked hard day and night, so he never had time to call or see his mother. Tyler also knew his younger brother was upset by his return, so he wanted to show him that he had changed for the better.

He had saved money from his work and planned a small birthday supper for his mother at the restaurant, even inviting Ricky to join the festivities. “I don’t know how much time I have left… But I want to spend all of it with you before God calls me,” Tyler said, raising a toast after repaying the money he once stole from his mother. Gracie and Ricky were moved to tears. Something awful, horrific, and yet happy crawled into their hearts, and their eyes refused to stop streaming with tears.