You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

﹣Ralph Waldo Emerson

How many times have we said, "Oh I'll do that1." Sometimes tomorrow never2and we find ourselves saying. "Boy, I wish I hadn't put that off."

Our family has been friends with Betty for many years. Over the years we shared phone calls and birthday cards. Betty sent our youngest son Brandon a birthday card with $50.00 in it3he graduated. We4 each other quite often when we lived not far away. Then we moved to New York. However, the distance did not cut off the5we kept in with each other.

This past November, I called Betty to see6she was. I was quite7when Betty didn't answer the phone; instead her daughter Carol did. Carol told me that her mom had gone downhill fast and she was now in hospice (临终养老院) care. Carol8 the phone to Betty. I talked briefly to her and let her9we loved her.

As soon as I got off the phone, I sent a text to Brandon to let him know Betty wasn't doing10. Little did I know that Brandon stopped what he was doing and immediately11 flowers to Betty.

You can imagine how12 I was of Brandon when Carol called the next day letting me know how much Betty loved the13 Brandon had sent. A few days later, Betty14. So, my friends,15what Emerson once said:" You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."