no charge

A little boy went up to his mother and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. This is what it said: For Cutting the grass $5.00 For cleaning my room this week $1.00 For going to the store for you $0.50 Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping $0.25 Taking out the garbage $1.00 For getting a good report card $5.00 For cleaning up & raking the yard $2.00 Total Owed: $14.75 Well, his mother looked at him standing there expectantly, and you could see the memories flashing through her mind. So she picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on and this is what she wrote: - For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me, no charge. - For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you, no charge. -For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years, there’s no charge. -When you add it all up, the cost of my love is no charge. -For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead, no charge. -For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose, there’s no charge, son. -And when you add it all up, the full cost of real love is no charge. When he finished reading what his mother had written, there were great big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight up at his mother and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “ALREADY PAID.” (original by M. Adams, modified here)