“It was a helpless day. We stood outside of our home knowing there was nothing we could do. At the end of the day, we had nothing but the clothes on our back.”
‘When I was 13, my family and I moved into my mother’s ‘dream home.’ Just 8 months later, things would take a drastic turn.’
‘She is 5, her curls draped around her cheeks. As she straightens her crown, she finds the reflection of her gray hair and sad eyes staring back at her. She is dressing for her fourth funeral this year.’
“Looking at her reflection she is forced to blink to see clearly. Her gray hair is set in curlers. She is thinking about all the friends and family she has outlived. She considers bending down to fix her knee-high stocking, but instead, sighs deeply.
40 years ago my parents were asked if they would have an exchange student. I wonder if they knew the doors it would open to all of us?
“I look back with such wonder and appreciation of who my parents are. I will forever be in awe of the way they live their life.”
‘She just wanted to see me get married’: Grandmother’s dying wish comes true to see beloved granddaughter wed
“A few days later, at 5:00 a.m., my phone was buzzing. I turned over in bed and saw my mom was calling. At that moment, I knew exactly what it was.”
‘An unexpected but lovely legacy’: How grandmother’s sewing was the glue that kept this family together
“To realize what was once a necessity, and often a burden, became the pride of the family.”