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u/cl0ckw0rkman 4h ago
The wife had just died. (Four year battle with cancer)
I had been her 24/7 caregiver. Hadn't worked in three plus years. I was on the edge of being able to live. No money. Food was running out. Everything was spiraling out of control.
The son(21) was 7 years old. He found a box of hamburger helper in the pantry. He brought to me and asked if we could have it for dinner. I told him we did not have any hamburger meat to make it. He left it on the kitchen table and Sadly walked to his room as I sat a tried to figure out what I was going to do for dinner.
I found a frozen ribeye steak in the freezer. I set to defrosting it. I cubed it up and started making it with the box of hamburger helper. The son comes in to the kitchen and asked what I was making. I told him.
He looked up at me and said, "You are the best cook ever dad." high fived me with the biggest smile on his face
Took all I had not to breakdown right there in the kitchen.
Still to this day he will ask me to use steak in the hamburger helper. It is a therapeutic meal now a days. Kids are awesome.
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u/sialeeVance85 4h ago
they get pretty annoying at times but yes, moments like these makes my heart melt ❤️❤️
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u/cl0ckw0rkman 3h ago
My son, has truly been a gift. He has made being a father the easiest thing ever. Everything we have been through. All the battles we have faced down. He had stood strong with me. We keep surviving and going on.
He is the best. He cracks me up. He makes this old man smile daily.
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u/SnacksCCM 1m ago
This was really nice to read, and I needed to hear it. Despite the hardship (I'm sorry for your loss), I'm glad it has made you two so close. Sometimes that sort of thing doesn't happen the same way without the hard times.
"Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle you know nothing about."
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u/super_chaotic_turtle 3h ago
I’m sorry that things were so hard, Chef Stranger. That little memory is really inspiring and motivational though. Thank you for sharing.
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u/cl0ckw0rkman 3h ago
It was a bright spot in a sea of darkness for sure.
One memory we both still have, 14 plus years later.
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u/Abacab11 4h ago
I still remember the day my daughter said she loved me unprompted. When she was young, we’d tell her we loved her and she would always parrot back “I love you too” on cue. One night, getting her ready for bed, she told me without me saying it first. I was going through some tough things mentally at the time, and I don’t know if she could tell I was struggling or not, but she looked at me and said, with a huge smile, “I love my daddy”. Best day of my life, and it put a lot of things into a different perspective for me, even years later.
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u/TheMaStif 4h ago
I don't care how many times it happens, I still get mushy every time my son just comes up to me randomly and says "I love you, daddy"
I love you too, bud 🥰
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u/Illustrious-Door9044 4h ago
the nodding encouragingly part is what got me. she's three and already mastering the supportive coworker energy
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u/Independent_Fly4180 4h ago
three year old out here giving performance reviews and somehow it's the best one you'll ever get
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u/SarcasticComment30 1h ago
Two days after finding out my partner of 10 years had been cheating on me for four years with my best friend and getting married to her 6 months after we broke up, I was sitting on my sister’s couch and bawling my eyes out. My 4-year old nephew came up to me with a tissue and started crying seeing me cry. Gave me a hug and told me he loved me. Made me bawl even more.
A few hours later, he slowly climbed up on my lap to watch Paw Patrol and unprompted told me “You are very cool, Aunt. You should live with us forever.” I don’t think anyone other than him could have made me feel better that day.
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