My s0n and his wife shamed me f0r wearing red lipstick. I decided t0 teach them a less0n. (Page 6 ) | October 1, 2024

Of all, it was about more than simply lipstick; it was about having respect for myself and realizing that, despite my advanced age, I was still alive and full of life. I was sitting on a bench watching the kids play while the sun was setting and the parents were chatting and mingling. Sarah and Stephen were chatting quietly while standing apart. They approached me after a time. Stephen said, “Mom,” in a quieter tone than normal. “I realized that maybe Sarah and I had been a little too… inflexible in our perspectives as we were discussing. We apologize for giving you the impression that you needed to alter who you are.Sarah gave a nod. “We didn’t stop to think about your sentiments because we were so intent on doing what we believed to be right. We may have taken for granted the strength and self-assurance you have always shown. As I gazed at them both, my heart began to melt. They had a difficult time accepting that they were mistaken, but I was grateful for their attempt. “I’m grateful,” I said.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

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