My mom passed away just days before my son was born. The loss felt overwhelming—she had always been my anchor, and I had pictured her guiding me through motherhood, just as she had guided me through life. At the time, my daughter was only three years old, and I thought she was too young to truly understand what had happened.
Years later, when my daughter was twenty, I was talking with a friend about those difficult days. I explained how hard it was that my mom had never been able to meet my son. Saying the words out loud still carried a sting, even after all those years. But then my daughter, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. “That’s not true,” she said softly. Confused, I asked what she meant. With calm certainty, she continued, “Grandma did meet him. I remember her standing by his crib, smiling at him.