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Magical Moment 453, "A Frightfully Lovely Text"

A high school girl told a story in ballet class as she laced up her point shoes: 

She said that a few days ago at school, she suddenly thought of her mom and decided to send her a random text message that said, "I love you." Then she put her phone in her bag, concentrating on her class and not giving the text another thought. 

About halfway through the class, they were disrupted by a knock on the door. It was the front office secretary who said that the girl had an urgent phone call in the office. Worried, she grabbed her book bag and made her way to the office. As she walked, she took out her cell phone to see if she had missed anything. Sure enough she had several text messages from her mom that read, 

"Why, what happened?"

"What's wrong?!"

"WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"

The poor woman had thought the absolute worst when she read her daughter's seemingly random note of sentiment. When the girl got to the office phone, she calmed her frantic mother down and explained, "I JUST LOVE YOU!"

She concluded the story by saying, 
"Now we have a system. If I say, 'I love you. Goodbye,' she can panic."

We all laughed as we listened, but with the recent killing of Osama Bin Laden, and living so close to Ground Zero, I couldn't help but think about the final text messages and phone calls that went out to loved ones on that horrible day. One mother told a news correspondent about her last phone call with her daughter who worked in the Twin Towers.
"She said very calmly and monotone, 'Mom, it's hot. Mom, it's smokey. Mom, help me get out.'"

That brought chills to my spine. Perhaps we all could send a few more random, sentimental texts and phone calls to our loved ones and give thanks if we haven't received a "Goodbye" one. 
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Comments

laughwithusblog said…
Oh yes, memories from that day...and living right there I can see how people are jumpy.
May 3, 2011 at 4:08 PM
MaggieGem said…
I'm with you... as a Mom, I know this would scare me if it was out of the blue!
May 3, 2011 at 4:43 PM
Dawn said…
:(
Sad. Yet such a good reminder.
Thank you.
(I so have enjoyed your Magical Moments.
This is NOT GoodBye;))
May 3, 2011 at 6:13 PM
Eddie said…
Man, that's sad.
May 3, 2011 at 6:48 PM
Kim@stuffcould.... said…
That is so sad about the towers, yes we need to text our loved ones now....
May 3, 2011 at 8:29 PM
Hilary said…
"Frightfully lovely" describes it very well. I did laugh to hear the girl's story. It sounds like how I would react to get a message like that from one of my boys.. unprompted. ;) I'm sure some very sad and chilling phone calls and messages were sent.. almost 10 years ago.
May 3, 2011 at 8:30 PM
Linda at To Behold The Beauty said…
Very poignant post, Elizabeth.
May 3, 2011 at 9:12 PM
Rick said…
We never know when our time is up - our partings should always be on loving terms with those we hold dear.

I think a message like that from one of my kids would be cause for concern - good that they worked out a code.
May 3, 2011 at 11:30 PM
Birdie said…
I am new here.

I am in awe. This post touched me because right now my mom is in the hospital dying. My times to say I love you are running out. I have told her thousands of times before but I know when she is gone I will give anything to say it once more. To all your readers, say it now. You will not regret it.
May 4, 2011 at 12:30 AM
Unknown said…
Good story, and you're right: we never know when the end will come. Say it now.

It's my hubby's birthday, and I'm looking forward to celebrating him today as he deserves to be celebrated. Don't want any regrets!
May 4, 2011 at 9:40 AM
Busy Bee Suz said…
Thanks for the morning laugh. (the beginning about the text)
I saw that same interview this week, and that MOM and her daughter have been in my thoughts too....very haunting.
My girls send me notes on occasion...my oldest usually starts with: Hey Beautiful....
How sweet is that? I don't think I ever called my Mom anything but MOM.
May 4, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Out on the prairie said…
I will live for a I love you text. I know it can hit hard with some, especially from a teen.Hey i did it with an email and sent it to the wrong person.
May 4, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Jayne said…
Oh the hazards of saying "I love you"--as if it's a cryptic message. What can it mean? True, we are a bit paranoid post 9/11. But what a sweet, funny story. And told so well. ;)
May 4, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Moannie said…
I'm one of the lucky ones. We have always been able to say those three little words.

But even so if they were a random text, and not tacked on at the end of a message I confess I too would have a slight frisson of fear.

Congrats on your POTD mention.
May 6, 2011 at 6:21 AM
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