Muitas vezes, as pessoas fazem julgamentos desnecessários sem conhecer a história de alguém. Esse foi o caso de Maria, que trabalhou todos os dias para dar ao filho a melhor chance de um futuro brilhante. Um dia, Maria provou que as suposições de todos estavam erradas.
A vida de Maria sempre foi uma batalha árdua. Ela veio de uma família pobre e, apesar de seus melhores esforços, sempre parecia levar a pior. Ela dedicou sua vida a garantir que seu filho, Aiden, tivesse a melhor educação possível.
Ela trabalhava para uma empresa de limpeza como zeladora e frequentemente lutava para sobreviver. Maria trabalhava 12 horas por dia para garantir que pudesse alimentar Aiden e que ele fosse cuidado. Quando ele teve idade suficiente, ela o mandou para um bom internato nos subúrbios.
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“Vou trabalhar duro para garantir que você possa ir para a faculdade. A mamãe está cuidando de você, ok”, ela disse a Aiden antes que ele entrasse no ônibus. Maria fez questão de escrever para Aiden sempre que podia.
Anos depois, Aiden se destacou em ciências e disse a ela que teve a oportunidade de ser um job shadow de um médico em um consultório médico. Ele decidiu que era isso que queria ser quando crescesse. Aiden também revelou a Maria que conheceu uma garota chamada Linda enquanto fazia job shadow e os dois começaram a namorar.
“Lembre-se, alguns de nós podem ter surgido do nada, mas isso não significa que não possamos ser alguma coisa.”
Acontece que Linda era filha de outro médico da clínica que Aiden havia visitado. “Escute, filho, não quero que você tenha seu coração partido. Mas Linda vem de uma família rica, e a família dela pode menosprezar você”, Maria escreveu ao filho.
“Não se preocupe, mãe. Ela sabe de onde viemos e não se importa. Ela me ama como eu sou. Confie em mim, você verá”, Aiden escreveu de volta. Aiden e Linda ficaram juntos depois de se formarem no ensino médio e frequentaram a mesma faculdade.
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Quando Maria conheceu Linda, ela entendeu por que Aiden a amava tanto. Linda era humilde e não julgava Maria, mesmo quando ela descobriu onde ela trabalhava. Quando Aiden revelou que ele e Linda tinham ficado noivos, Maria deu sua bênção imediatamente.
Maria decidiu dar uma festa de noivado em um restaurante local para comemorar e conhecer os pais de Linda, Hugh e Elizabeth.
“Não acho que isso vá acontecer, Maria. Meus pais são muito presunçosos, então quando souberam da história de Aiden, não deram sua benção”, revelou Linda.
Depois de algum tempo, Hugh e Elizabeth relutantemente deram a bênção a Aiden e concordaram em pagar pelo casamento. A cerimônia foi bem extravagante. Linda usou um vestido de noiva de grife que sua avó lhe dera de presente. O bolo era gigante, e Hugh havia contratado um chef famoso para servir o casamento.
Maria finalmente teve a oportunidade de conhecer Hugh e Elizabeth, mas eles não a trataram gentilmente. Quando perguntaram qual era seu diploma, Maria respondeu: “Não tive a chance de terminar meus estudos porque o pai de Aiden me deixou para criá-lo sozinha.”
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“Bem, se não tivéssemos trabalhado duro, não poderíamos ter dado tudo isso a Linda”, Elizabeth respondeu rudemente. Hugh e Elizabeth tinham convidados VIP, incluindo empresários famosos de toda a cidade. Quando perguntados sobre quem era Maria, eles pareciam envergonhados em revelar que ela era a mãe do noivo.
Depois que os votos e os I-dos foram ditos, foi a vez das famílias do noivo e da noiva fazerem discursos. Hugh e Elizabeth subiram ao palco primeiro para parabenizar os recém-casados pela união. Eles então revelaram seu presente, o que surpreendeu Aiden e Linda porque Hugh já havia pago pelo casamento.
“Nós realmente sentimos muito. Nós maltratamos você desde o momento em que te conhecemos.”
“Sabemos que vocês dois estão procurando uma casa e vão morar juntos em breve. Então, vamos pagar por todos os seus móveis e eletrodomésticos”, revelou Huge.
“Depois que você encontrar uma casa, ela estará totalmente mobiliada”, Elizabeth acrescentou. O presente foi recebido com aplausos pelos participantes. Hugh e Elizabeth olharam com orgulho para a reação. Ao lado do palco estava Maria. Muitos convidados começaram a sussurrar e murmurar, pois todos esperavam um presente que seria bem barato em comparação.
Maria enxugou uma lágrima de alegria enquanto parabenizava os recém-casados. Ela não se importava com o julgamento. Maria estava apenas orgulhosa de seu filho e nora. Mas o que ela disse em seguida chocou toda a festa de casamento.
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“Trabalhei a vida toda e economizei para pagar sua faculdade porque sabia que seria caro. Então você decidiu que queria ser médica, e eu pensei, nossa, ainda mais caro “, brincou Maria.
Ela podia dizer que Hugh e Elizabeth estavam rindo dela, não com ela. Maria pegou um envelope na bolsa antes de continuar.
“O engraçado é que você ganhou uma bolsa para estudar medicina de qualquer jeito, então nem precisou de todo o dinheiro que eu economizei. Então, agora que você está prestes a fazer seu doutorado e vai se casar com essa jovem brilhante, que melhor maneira de parabenizá-lo do que comprando uma casa para você”, revelou Maria.
A festa de casamento inteira ficou boquiaberta quando Maria abriu seu envelope e entregou um molho de chaves para Aiden e Linda. Todos se levantaram para aplaudir enquanto Hugh e Elizabeth ficaram atordoados. Após o término da cerimônia, Hugh e Elizabeth pediram desculpas a Maria.
Apenas para fins ilustrativos. | Fonte: Getty Images
“Nós realmente sentimos muito. Nós maltratamos você desde o momento em que a conhecemos. Pedimos desculpas por julgá-la. Você realmente nos mostrou o quão extraordinária você é”, Elizabeth disse a Maria.
“Lembre-se, alguns de nós podem ter surgido do nada, mas isso não significa que não possamos ser alguma coisa”, respondeu Maria.
No final do ano, Aiden havia terminado seu doutorado e se juntou à clínica de Hugh para trabalhar como médico. Aiden insistiu que Maria se aposentasse do trabalho como zeladora. Hugh e Elizabeth seguiram o exemplo logo depois. Linda deu uma festa de aposentadoria para Maria, e Aiden comprou um carro novinho para ela para agradecer por tudo.
Logo, Aiden e Linda tiveram seus próprios filhos. Maria viveu como avó das crianças, um papel que ela dividiu alegremente com Hugh e Elizabeth.
O que podemos aprender com essa história?
Não leve o julgamento negativo a sério . Tudo o que importava para Maria era a felicidade e o sucesso do filho. Ela não deixou o julgamento derrubá-la e, no final, provou que todos os seus céticos estavam errados.
Você nunca sabe o que alguém passou. Hugh e Elizabeth tinham falsas percepções de quem Maria era com base no fato de que ela era uma zeladora. No final, eles perceberam que Maria era tão trabalhadora e merecedora de respeito quanto qualquer outra pessoa.
Compartilhe esta história com seus amigos e familiares. Pode inspirá-los e alegrar o dia deles.
Se você gostou desta história, talvez goste desta sobre uma mãe rica em uma feira escolar de Natal que zomba de outra mãe que trabalha à noite.
Este artigo é inspirado em histórias da vida cotidiana de nossos leitores e escrito por um escritor profissional. Qualquer semelhança com nomes ou locais reais é mera coincidência. Todas as imagens são apenas para fins ilustrativos. Compartilhe sua história conosco; talvez ela mude a vida de alguém.
Woman Tires of Admirer Who Joins Her Jog Every Morning but Desperately Searches for Him When He Doesn’t Show Up — Story of the Day
Rebecca coped with her depression by organizing her life so there’d be no time for it. She’d been doing that for years since the divorce. Until one persistent stranger decided to interfere with her strict, lonely routine. Little did Rebecca know, he’d become the one person she’d end up missing.
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In the dim light of her bedroom, Rebecca lay on her back, her gaze locked on the digital clock beside her bed.
The numbers read 6:29. She took a steady breath, waiting for the clock to change.
As soon as it clicked to 6:30, the alarm went off, but Rebecca was quick to silence it.
She sat up, threw the covers aside, and rose from the bed with practiced precision.
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First things first—Rebecca smoothed out her sheets, arranging every corner until the bed looked crisp and perfectly made.
She walked into the bathroom, where everything had its place.
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Her toothbrush rested neatly in a holder, the soap was placed just so in a dish, and a small mirror hung over the sink.
Rebecca took a moment to look at her own reflection, her expression calm but distant.
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She was forty-seven, with lines of experience and resilience etched onto her face.
Seven years had passed since her divorce, and though the pain had dulled, it had left behind a scar.
Her response to the heartache had been order, discipline, and strict routine. These things brought her a sense of control, something solid to hold onto when life felt chaotic.
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At exactly seven o’clock, Rebecca laced up her running shoes, plugged in her headphones, and stepped outside, ready for her morning jog.
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For years, these runs had been her escape, a time to strengthen her body while listening to audiobooks that exercised her mind.
It was her shield against sadness, each step a way to push forward.
But for the past month, something had started to disrupt her carefully designed routine—a neighbor named Charlie, who seemed determined to break through her guarded solitude, one cheerful “good morning” at a time.
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Charlie’s house was right across the street, and every morning, just as Rebecca fell into her steady pace, he would come bounding out, waving his arms like an enthusiastic kid, barely managing to keep his sneakers on.
This morning was no different. Rebecca spotted him out of the corner of her eye as he hopped down his steps, shoving his shoelaces into his sneakers in a hurry to catch up.
She sighed, rolling her eyes and speeding up, hoping he’d get the hint this time. But, as always, Charlie wouldn’t be discouraged so easily.
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“Rebecca! Wait, it’s me!” he called, his voice cheerful as he jogged over, waving with one hand and holding his side with the other.
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Rebecca pretended not to hear him and kept her eyes straight ahead, her footsteps rhythmic and focused.
But Charlie was determined, and soon he was jogging alongside her, albeit slightly out of breath.
“You’re fast… as always,” he managed between pants, giving her a crooked smile as he tried to match her pace.
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Rebecca pulled out one of her earbuds and glanced at him, feigning surprise. “Oh, hi, didn’t see you there,” she replied, with just a hint of annoyance.
She had her whole morning planned out, and chatting with her neighbor hadn’t been on the agenda.
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“No problem, totally my fault for being late,” Charlie said, his breath still coming in gasps.
Rebecca could see he was trying hard to keep up, yet he looked pleased just to be running alongside her.
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She gave a small, dismissive nod and was about to put her earbud back in when Charlie chimed in again.
“Hey, want to hear a joke?” he asked eagerly, his voice carrying that unbreakable enthusiasm she found both irritating and oddly endearing.
“You’d save more breath if you talked less while running…” she muttered, but he ignored her suggestion.
“Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?” he asked, grinning.
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Rebecca sighed. She knew better than to indulge him, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Because he was outstanding in his field!” Charlie delivered the punchline with a broad, triumphant grin, his eyes bright with expectation.
Rebecca paused, rolling the joke over in her mind, and against her better judgment, a chuckle escaped her lips.
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She quickly tried to stifle it, but it was too late. Charlie had seen her reaction, and his face lit up with delight.
“See? You smiled! I’m getting better at this,” he noted with satisfaction, practically glowing at his small victory.
Rebecca shook her head, but her smile lingered, however brief.
“I’ll give it to you, that one wasn’t… too bad,” she conceded, still pretending to be unimpressed.
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Charlie threw a fist in the air, grinning as if he’d won a prize.
“Finally! Progress!” he cheered, laughing.
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Rebecca picked up her pace again, leaving Charlie struggling to keep up.
Each morning, Rebecca found herself looking forward to the sight of Charlie bounding out of his house with his untied sneakers and his cheerful grin.
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His silly jokes that once made her roll her eyes had grown on her, and she found herself smiling more often, even laughing aloud, which was something she hadn’t done in a long time.
More surprising to her, she had started to slow her pace—just a bit—so they could talk longer.
Charlie’s enthusiasm and light-heartedness had a way of softening the strict walls Rebecca had built around herself.
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He had even managed to slip past her strict routine, something she thought no one could do.
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As she laced up her shoes and looked out the window, Rebecca found herself glancing at his house, as she had started doing most mornings. Today, though, something felt different.
The door to his house was shut tight, and there was no sign of him.
She checked her watch and waited, telling herself not to worry. But after a few more minutes passed, doubt crept in.
This wasn’t like Charlie—he was always so excited to join her.
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She hesitated, feeling a strange mix of concern and disappointment, but finally, she walked over to his house and knocked on the door.
She tapped her foot as she waited, glancing around and hoping he’d just forgotten to wake up. But there was no answer.
She rang the doorbell again, then leaned close to the window, peeking inside, but the rooms were still and quiet.
“Charlie! Are you there?” she called, trying to keep her voice steady. “Come on, you’re missing our jog!”
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She hoped he’d suddenly appear, laughing and apologizing for being late. But all she heard was silence.
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Just then, an elderly voice spoke from nearby.
“Who’s shouting out here?” Startled, Rebecca turned to see Mrs. Lewis, an elderly woman who lived next door to Charlie, watching her with curiosity.
“Oh, Mrs. Lewis,” Rebecca said, feeling embarrassed for the outburst.
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“I usually run with Charlie, but he didn’t show up today. Maybe he overslept,” she added, her voice quieter, almost as if she were speaking to herself.
She felt a pang of worry, wondering if maybe he simply didn’t want to run with her anymore.
Mrs. Lewis shook her head, looking concerned.
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“Overslept? Oh no, dear. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night.”
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Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat.
“The hospital? What happened to him?”
Mrs. Lewis sighed, clearly upset herself.
“I’m not sure. I only saw the ambulance pull up and take him away. It’s such a shame. Poor man lives alone with no one to watch over him.”
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Rebecca stood there, processing the news, a wave of guilt and worry washing over her.
She had only known Charlie for a short while, but in that time, he had somehow become a part of her life, someone she looked forward to seeing.
Without a second thought, Rebecca thanked Mrs. Lewis, turned around, and headed back home to grab her purse and keys. There was only one hospital nearby, and she needed to find him.
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Rebecca felt her heart racing as she walked through the bustling halls of the hospital, the antiseptic smell filling her nose and making her even more anxious. She took a steadying breath as she approached the reception desk, hoping to sound calm.
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“Good morning,” she said, her voice just a bit shaky. “I’m looking for a patient who was admitted last night. His name is Charlie.”
The receptionist raised an eyebrow, looking over her glasses. “Do you have a last name, ma’am?”
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Rebecca felt herself blush. “No, sorry… I only know him as Charlie. We just… met recently,” she admitted, realizing how strange it must sound.
The receptionist gave her a slightly skeptical look. “You do know that only family or close relatives are typically allowed to visit patients, right?”
“I… I’m his girlfriend,” she blurted, surprising even herself.
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The receptionist’s eyes softened as a small smile crept onto her face. “Girlfriend, huh?” She tapped a few keys on her computer, a slight twinkle in her eyes.
“You might as well learn his last name, then. You’ll need it if he’s going to be around,” she said with a wink.
“Charlie Sanders. Room 113. I’ll take you there.”
Rebecca felt her heart flip as she whispered a quick “thank you” and followed the receptionist down the hall.
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Before they even reached the room, she could hear Charlie’s familiar laughter, his voice carrying through the doorway as he shared a joke with someone in the room.
The receptionist rapped gently on the wall to announce Rebecca’s arrival.
“Charlie, there’s a lady here to see you… she says she’s your girlfriend,” she added, a hint of playfulness in her voice as she glanced at Rebecca.
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Charlie’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw her. “Yes, yes! Rebecca, come on in. Of course, she’s here for me,” he said with a grin, gesturing for her to come closer.
Rebecca felt a rush of relief as she walked over to sit beside him.
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Charlie looked tired but cheerful, as if the hospital gown and the IV were just minor inconveniences in his day.
She glanced at him, both relieved and exasperated. “Girlfriend, huh?” Charlie teased, raising his eyebrows playfully.
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Rebecca gave him a mock-scowl. “I had to say something to get in here, didn’t I? And you missed our jog this morning! What happened?” she asked, a touch of concern creeping into her voice.
Charlie sighed, shifting slightly in the bed.
“Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but those jogs? Not exactly great for my health.”
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Rebecca’s face fell. “What do you mean?”
He glanced down, looking a little sheepish.
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“I have a heart condition. Doctor’s orders are to avoid anything too intense… like trying to keep up with you,” he admitted with a wry smile.
Her heart sank, and she shook her head in disbelief.
“Charlie, why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have been running at all!”
Charlie gave a small, lopsided smile.
“Well… if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have seen you. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”
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Rebecca felt her face soften, a mix of surprise and affection warming her heart.
“So you were willing to risk your health just to talk to me?” she asked quietly, looking him in the eye.
He nodded, his expression turning serious.
“Yes,” he said simply.
“I’ve watched you every morning, jogging at the same time, like clockwork. I’ve seen you give things to charity, help the neighbors. You’re… you’re someone special, Rebecca.”
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Rebecca felt a lump form in her throat, his words striking her in a way she hadn’t expected.
She reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently.
“Charlie,” she said, her voice soft, “you don’t need to run to spend time with me. How about dinner at my place instead?”
Charlie’s face broke into a warm smile.
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“Now that sounds a lot safer for my heart,” he replied, his eyes shining. “I think the doctor would definitely approve.”
Rebecca chuckled, feeling the tension in her chest ease as they shared a smile.
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“I hope so,” she murmured, looking forward to an evening that didn’t involve heart-stopping runs but instead a quiet meal with someone who, in a short time, had become surprisingly important to her.
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