①You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
②How many times have we said to ourselves, "Oh, I'll do that tomorrow" Sometimes tomorrow never comes and we find ourselves saying, "Oh, I wish I hadn't put that off. "
③Our family was friends with Betty for many years. Over the years, we shared phone calls, birthday cards, and much more. Every year, Betty sent our youngest son Brandon a birthday card with five dollars in it. She did this until he graduated from high school.
④One year, not long after her birthday, I called to see how she was and ask her if she did anything special for her birthday. I was surprised when Betty didn't answer the phone. Instead, her daughter Carol did. Carol told me that her mom. was ill and had gone downhill fast. She was in hospice care（临终关怀）. Carol gave the phone to Betty. I talked to her and let her know that we loved her.
⑤As soon as I got off the phone, I sent a text to Brandon and let him know Betty wasn't doing well. Brandon stopped what he was doing and sent flowers to Betty.
⑥You can imagine how proud I was of Brandon when Carol called the next day. She told me that Betty loved the flowers very much. Just a few days later, Betty died.
⑦So, my friends, remember what Emerson once said, "You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. "?
