If you have never experienced the pleasure of eating fresh Texas grapefruit fillet after fillet, in juicy, full wedges with the bitter member completely removed, you must pay a visit to my parents' house during citrus season.
Mothers always find unique ways to live out their acts of kindness, and peeling about 8-10 grapefruit an evening is a dedication that goes beyond a mother's call of duty.
My mom sacrificed her own independence in order to raise me and my sister, deciding to be a housewife while my dad travelled back and forth between China and Texas to run his well-logging company. She often confesses her deepest sorrow is not being about to dote on her kids with money she's made
So I asked how she's able to stay happy for more than 30 years, and her response had the incredibly pragmatic and hardy perspective of a half-assimilated Asian immigrant:
If you sacrifice in hopes that you'll receive gratitude for it, you'll never be happy. Think of sacrifice as a decision you made for yourself, and carry out those responsibilities for your own sake. No one owes you anything for the choices you made.