A bride refused to invite her grandmother to her wedding, thinking she would embarrass her because she was not wealthy. On her wedding day, she discovers her grandmother’s gift and realizes she’s a millionaire.
Mia grew up in a simple and modest household with parents and grandparents from the working class who worked day and night to provide for their needs. However, while her parents lived simply, they always made sure to indulge Mia in some luxuries whenever they could.
Her grandmother Lucia, on the other hand, had always been the more frugal one. Lucia only owned two pairs of shoes which she would have repaired every time they broke so she didn’t need to buy new ones. She portioned the groceries she’d buy on a weekly basis so that no ingredient went to waste, and she never gave presents to her family members.
As a child, Mia didn’t think much of her grandmother’s ways, as she’d still get to eat the delicious food Lucia would cook anyway. However, as she got older, she started to think her grandmother was simply greedy with her money, choosing not to spend it for some strange reason that Mia had yet to discover.
Mia wanted nothing but the best in life. | Source: Pexels
Despite her simple life, Mia was intelligent. She got scholarships in a top high school and university, which exposed her to people with different backgrounds, especially the wealthy. Seeing how her classmates lived comfortably, she started to grow envious and wanted more out of life.
When she finally got a taste of the good life after graduating from university, she only expected the best – the best job offers, the best apartment, the best clothes, and the best man to call her husband.
Mia fell in love with a wealthy corporate executive named Mark, who worked in the same company as her. They began to date, going on luxurious vacations and eating in the state’s most exquisite restaurants.
Mia fell in love and got engaged to a wealthy man. | Source: Pexels
Soon, Mia started to feel discontent with what her own family had to offer. She no longer enjoyed her grandmother’s home-cooked meals, and she no longer wanted to go on camping trips with her cousins.
When Mark proposed to her and she said yes, Mia wasted no time planning the wedding. She wanted it to be pegged as the “wedding of the year.”
Mia wanted everything at her wedding to be luxurious, including her guest list. Thus, she didn’t plan on inviting her own grandmother, Lucia, thinking she wouldn’t fit in.
“She’s your grandmother. She should watch you walk down the aisle, sweetheart,” her boyfriend Mark told her, but she shook her head.
Mia did not want to invite her grandmother to her wedding. | Source: Pexels
“She’s alarmingly thin, and she doesn’t know how to dress well. She’ll stick out like a sore thumb. I’d rather she didn’t attend,” she insisted.
Mia’s parents also insisted on inviting her only living grandmother, but she flatly refused. “Let’s just have dinner with her after,” she told her parents.
After learning she wouldn’t get to see her granddaughter walk down the aisle, Lucia was heartbroken. However, she didn’t want to fuss over it and just told Mia that she understood.
On the day of the wedding, Lucia sent a giant rose to her granddaughter’s dressing room. She wanted Mia to receive it before the ceremony, thinking it would brighten her granddaughter’s day.
However, when Mia received the rose, she wasn’t thrilled. “Where did this come from? Did she pick it from one of the floral arrangements outside?” she mocked.
Her mother frowned. “Your grandmother must have had a reason for giving you this beautiful pink rose, Mia. Just appreciate it for its beauty. I’ve never seen a rose that big in a while,” she told her daughter.
Mia was disappointed that her grandmother chose to give her a rose on her wedding day. | Source: Pexels
Mia sighed. She did think the rose was beautiful, but she didn’t think it was an appropriate wedding gift, especially from Lucia.
When her mother left the room and Mia was left alone, she decided to play a little game of “He loves me, he loves me not,” plucking the rose petals one by one. When she finished plucking the rose, she was surprised to see a small note glued to the middle of the flower.
“What is this?” she said to herself and tried to take it out from the flower slowly. She opened it and realized it was a short note from her grandmother, with a small key taped to the bottom of the small notepad.
“Mia, I’m so glad you’re getting married in the church we used to go to together when you were younger. My good friend, Father Jameson, kept a box for me all these years. Open the closet in the room you’re in, and you’ll find what I’m talking about. Grandma.”
Mia found a small key stuck to the note her grandmother gave. | Source: Pexels
Curious, Mia unglued the key from the paper and walked toward the closet inside her dressing room. Inside, the parish priest’s robes hung in a straight line, and there was a medium-sized chest sitting at the bottom.
Mia realized that the key stuck to the paper was meant to unlock the chest, so that’s exactly what she did. As she opened it, she was not prepared for what she saw inside.
Her eyes widened when she saw stacks of cash inside the chest. There was also a note resting on top of the stacks which read:
“As you start this new chapter in your life, my dear Mia, I pray for nothing but your happiness. I hope this helps you and your husband build the life you want for your family. I love you more than anything in this world, Grandma.”
Mia found stacks of cash inside the chest her grandmother kept in the church. | Source: Pexels
Mia’s hands trembled as she read the note. She went through the piles of cash and realized they couldn’t be less than a million dollars.
Mia felt terrible for how cruel she’s been to her grandmother and how judgemental she was towards her. “I can’t believe I didn’t even think about inviting her today. What kind of granddaughter am I?”
The ceremony was about to start in a couple of minutes, but Mia refused to walk down the aisle without first talking to her grandmother. She drove herself to her grandmother’s house, where she found her sitting with a cup of tea in her hands as she watched television.
“Grandma!” Mia said, rushing to hug her. “Grandma, I am so sorry. I’ve been so selfish, self-centered, and materialistic that I broke the beautiful bond we used to have when I was a child,” she cried.
Mia apologized to her grandmother. | Source: Pexels
“Mia, sweetheart, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be getting married!” Lucia replied, surprised that her granddaughter was in her house during her special day.
Mia shook her head. “I’m sorry, grandma. I came to say sorry for how badly I’ve treated you. I saw the chest you left me. All these years, you’ve lived modestly when you had all that money. You could have spent it on yourself, but you saved it all up for me!”
Lucia smiled. “Growing up, my dream was to be wealthy. When I had a family, my goal changed, and all I wanted was to have a granddaughter to take care of and cherish for as long as I lived. When your parents had you, I was so happy, and all I wanted was to make you happy, too,” she shared.
Mia didn’t return to her wedding ceremony without her grandmother in tow. | Source: Pexels
“Mia, I grew up having a tough life, and I don’t want you to experience the same thing. Don’t worry about me. I’ve lived comfortably through the years. I made sure to save all of that up for you. I’m alright, sweetheart, so go get married,” Lucia said, embracing her crying granddaughter.
Mia shook her head once more. “I’m not getting married without you, grandma. Come on, let’s get you dressed. We have a wedding to attend,” she said, guiding her grandmother to her room so she could change into a gown.
That day was not only the happiest day of Mia’s life but of Lucia’s life as well. Since then, Mia made sure to take good care of her grandmother and make the most out of their time together.
Lucia lived long enough to see her great-grandchildren, and Mia was happy to teach her children about the importance of love and family.
What can we learn from this story?
A grandparent’s love is pure and everlasting. Although Mia was distant toward Lucia for a part of her life, this did not change how Lucia loved her granddaughter. She worked hard her entire life to be able to give her granddaughter a gift that she would never forget. This gift taught her granddaughter that life is not always about material things but about love and family.
The most important things in life are the relationships you build with the ones you love. Life is not all about material things but the relationships you choose to nurture and cherish throughout your life.