“Who cares if my son and I live in a rusty old trailer now? One day, he will take me to a palace and make me its queen!” dreamed the poor widow who worked as a janitor and struggled to make ends meet.

One day, the mother’s prayers were unbelievably answered when her son handed her the keys to their $2M house. But she knew little about the price the boy paid to fulfill her dream…

“Mom, when are we going to start living in a nice house?” 13-year-old Simon asked his mother. “It’s getting colder here, and it’s stuffy inside.”

“…just give me that money, and you won’t regret it…I’m not asking for a penny more, just what you have,” begged the boy.

Annie had no quick reply to that question. She knew it was not going to happen anytime soon. She did not have much in savings, and her salary was barely enough to afford food and education for her son, who was on holiday.

“Very soon…We will move from here very soon, son,” she said in tears. “Now, close your eyes and go to sleep.”

But Annie couldn’t sleep peacefully. She was aware that “very soon” would never arrive. She spent the night near her son, her heart heavy, resigned that misery would cling to them forever.

“Whoa! That’s unbelievable!” Simon exclaimed. He, too, wanted to put up a stall and start earning money, but he barely had a quarter in his pocket. Sighing in disappointment, he walked away, thinking about what else he could do to make things better in his life.

“I have an idea!” he said, excited. “Why didn’t I think of it before?” He ran home as fast as he could and was panting when he got there, begging for money from his mother.

“But son, I don’t have much left. I only have $13 and need that to buy bread and eggs. It’s the last bit I have until my next paycheck, which is next week,” Annie grumbled.

Simon was stubborn. “Mom, trust me…just give me that money, and you won’t regret it…I’m not asking for a penny more, just what you have.”

Reluctant but curious, Annie tossed the $13 in Simon’s hands, waiting to see what he was going to do with it.

Later that afternoon, the boy returned home with a bunch of packets in his hand. “What is it?” she asked him, but he ignored her and took a shovel to get started.

Annie watched in disbelief as Simon began shoveling a spot outside their trailer. He tilled it, making several beds, and began to tear the packets he brought a while ago.

“Simon, what are you doing?” Annie asked him. “Are those seeds? Do we have time for all this? What is wrong with you?”

The boy smiled, and after he finished sowing the last packet of seeds, he looked at his mother and said, “Mom, only if we sow today can we reap tomorrow!”

At first, Annie did not understand what the boy meant by that, but for the next several weeks, Simon worked very hard in his garden. He watered it, plucked the weeds, and was delighted to see the first fresh sprouts appear through the cracks of the wet soil.

“Mom, we are not allowed to nibble at our own produce. I’m selling them in the little stall I’m putting up…and we should only use the leftovers if we want to grow big!” said the boy, leaving Annie amazed.

Soon, Simon’s fresh garden produce was what people wanted to take home for a nutritious meal. The boy had used natural pesticides, and everything in his stall sold out pretty quickly as soon as it was displayed.

With more money streaming in, Simon and his mom moved into a rented house near their trailer. Annie quit her job and started to help her son in the field. It boosted Simon’s determination further. Together, the mom and son sold healthy garden produce in their stall, which was now bigger and attracted the town’s attention.

But their unsuspecting success did not do without amassing rivalry and contempt from a wealthy farmer, Alex. The man could not endure the mysterious success of an aspiring young boy and wanted to meet him to learn the tricks of the trade and to beat him in the race to fame.

After deep thought, Annie agreed and allowed Simon to work with Alex. For the next several months, the boy balanced school and gardening on the man’s farm while looking after his little garden near their trailer because he was always grateful for that.

In no time, Alex and Simon’s combined efforts succeeded. Apart from selling their fresh produce locally, they even started exporting to neighboring states.

Two years later, Simon saved a huge chunk of money and could not wait to fulfill his mom’s wish. With Alex’s help, he built a big house in the area where their trailer once stood and honored his mother with the house keys.

“Simon, my boy…” Annie cried. “You are supposed to enjoy your childhood, but you sacrificed all your fun and friendship to make me smile. I love you, darling!”

“Oh, come on, mom, I’ll do anything for you,” Simon replied. I can laugh and run again, but I cannot see you struggling. My childhood has not gone anywhere…I’m always your little boy!”

Although Simon grew into a wealthy young lad, he still paid gratitude to the little garden that catapulted him to success. He continued to harvest its fresh produce but he never sold them anymore.

“…because you know mom, we need to stay healthy and fit. We need to taste the fruits of our hard work at the end of the day, so we are not gonna sell them but eat them!” he laughed.

While Simon continues to keep his head high in his newfound success and business, rumor has it that he is expanding his business in another state. Well, good luck, Simon! Keep going!

What can we learn from this story?

Teach your children the values of determination and hard work at a very young age. Although poor and struggling, Annie always taught her son the concept of determination and hard work. The boy was only 13, but he absorbed the truth and implemented it into changing their lives for good.

Don’t just sit and watch when your parents struggle. Do something to ease their burden. Simon was hurt living in poverty with his mother. Instead of complaining about it, he worked hard and started from scratch. Ultimately, he reaped the sweet fruits of his hard work when he helped his mom move from their tiny trailer to a deluxe house.

While everyone chose to ignore a poor old lady, a young boy helped her carry her groceries. A few days later, his mom was startled when she received a life-changing reward for it. Click here to read the full story.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.