It`s Deceber 27, 2020. I wake up early, fix my bed and get some tea. Christmas past by like a jet plane in the sky and before you realize, it`s now gone. Now we will wait for another year to feel the season of Christmas again. As I take a sip at my hot tea something pop up of my head, questions that I really want to ask. What do we celebrate on Christmas? Is it really the birth date of Jesus Christ? Or we just celebrate because people will be more giving and during that single day we feel peace?

I finish my tea and head to the sink to put the cup and my mother called me and she said “Hey Ian. be quick, we`re going to be late." We are going for a walk near the lake, we do this regularly since my father died 4 weeks ago and I`m not ready to talk about it. On the other hand my mother, her name Is Lydia. She is beautiful with a black hair, white skin like porcelain, brown eyes, fine lips and just a regular nose. In short she is beautiful, kind, and gentle.

That lake is beautiful, it is surrounded by trees and big rock and the birds always come there too, which make the place more beautiful. When I was a kid, me and my mother would always go there to spend our whole morning playing ball and stick, and we would watch the birds until afternoon before we head home.

As soon I hear the voice of my mother I would eventually grab my bag and run towards the car. Now we are driving going to the lake. My mother tune the radio to her favorite station and began to listen some music.

Two hours passed, we arrive to our destination. We park our car not so far in the entrance, we unload our things and we`re ready to go. The lake is perfect, the sun light hit the water beautifully. It`s not so windy, it`s so peaceful and there are few people in the lake, the one lady seating in the bench, a girl with his mother and a girl older that me.

Me and my mother search a spot for us to seat with our basket full of packed breakfast, hot tea and coffee. I carry the bag at my back while I`m holding the book that my mother would always bring and she carries the basket. Not so far we find a good spot, it`s on the top of the hill and the view is amazing, we can see the whole lake together with the park and the people in it.

We set up and take a seat. “How are you feeling?” my mother ask me.

“I`m fine and out of the woods now” I said with a smile, “ but I`m not ready to talk about it”

“Me neither” my mother said while she look at me in the eye and give me a smile.

This day is so peaceful, quite and light. I feel so relive after a month of crying and mourning. I`m out of the woods and I feel nice and light. I wish my mother feel the same.

We ate our breakfast, before we left the house my mother packed some sandwich and boiled some eggs. It taste good and become better and better every bite. Now we are done eating. My mom start to read her book and I start to watch the lake and birds flying over it.

Hours past by and my mother is done reading her book and I`m still seating on the bench, she seat beside me and she said.

“Ian do you see those people?”

“Yes, mom why” I replied immediately

“Good…let me tell you a story about life” she said

“Lets begin with that teen age girl” she said

“That teen age girl have plenty of time in her life to use, she can be anything she wanted and have a good life, it`s up to her if she will waste it or use it properly. With a plenty of time she can decide on how to live life by many different choices”

As she speak gently I listen carefully. My mother is always telling me stories about how good life can be and how beautiful the world is if we live in it the right way. And I agree with her, I promised her that when I grow up I will influence people to do good or form organizations that focuses on helping people.

“Hey Ian, are you listening?” she said

I just simply answer “Yes mother” and she continue her story

“That same girl will grow and be old enough to find a man that can be her husband, they will start a family just like us. Family is everything, and definitely more important than money. In life, along the way you can meet friends that can help you and friends that you can trust, but friends will be just friend. Sometimes they will leave you and sometimes they will stay by your side. But family will stay forever”

“That what`s friend are for?” I asked my mother

“Yes, but not all people can be your friend”. She said. “ some might hurt you and some might help you”

“And lastly see the old woman?” she said

“that is contentment, happiness, pain, joy sadness and gratefulness”

“That`s life" she said. I just smile and looked at her amazingly. I did not have time to ask question because the rain starts to pour. And we hurry towards the car. We drive home and relax, we unload our things change clothes and my mother read her book again.