our little boy came up to his mama in the kitchen this evening while she was fixing supper and he handed her a piece of paper he d been writing on and after wiping her hands on her apron she read it and this is what it said for mowing the yard 5 dollars for making my own bed this week 1 dollar for going to the store 50 cents for playing with my little brother while you went shopping 25 cents for taking out the trash 1 dollar for getting a good report card 5 dollars and for raking the yard 2 dollars total amount owed 14 dollars and 75 cents well as mama looked at him standing there expectantly and i could see the memories flashing through her mind and so she picked up the pen and turning the paper over this is what she wrote and i read it to him for the nine months she carried you growing inside her no charge for the nights we sat up with you doctoring you praying for you no charge for the time and the tears that you ve caused through the years there s no charge when you added all up the full cost of our love is no charge for the nights filled with dread and the worries ahead no charge for advice and for knowledge and the cost of your college no charge for the toys food and clothes and for wiping your nose there s no charge when you added all up the full cost of our love is no charge well when i finished reading he had big tears in his eyes and he looked up at his mother and he said mama i sure do love you then he took the pen and in great big letter he wrote paid in full when you added all up the cost of real love is no charge