“My mom passed away over two years ago, on Feb. 2, 2023. It’s a day I’ll always remember: her 92nd birthday. We were with her in the morning, and the Lord took her home in the afternoon. It was a really tough time, and I think my mom knew I’d need some encouragement to cope with the loss. As I went through her things, I found little notes she’d left for me to discover. These notes were tucked away in books, cookbooks, and even tin cans. I’m so grateful for those loving notes; they’ve touched and warmed my heart in ways I can’t quite put into words.”
— Carla B. in Las Vegas, Nevada
‘”Which way home?’ Mom asked. I set off confidently. Tramping on paths that spread like veins into the woods, I became totally lost. Mom said she was lost, too. I started to cry. Mom didn’t rescue me. I learned that moss grows on the north side of the trees, the sun travels east to west, the neighbor’s hayfield was west of our property, and so we started in a direction. Half an hour later, I recognized the main path. Many more times in my life, by not telling me the way, Mom gifted me the ability to find my way.”
— Patricia C. in Fort Mill, South Carolina
“Motherhood’s greatest surprise is how much you learn. One afternoon, my 5-year-old brought me a paper airplane with ‘sorry’ written all over. He confessed he had broken my phone weeks earlier. We talked about honesty and responsibility, explaining it wasn’t okay. Distraught, he returned with a bigger airplane and hugs, but I explained it didn’t make up for the loss. Later, he returned with three joined paper airplanes colored with ‘sorry, I love you’s.’ Realizing I am just as lacking when asking forgiveness, I hugged him and let it go. We both were better for it.”
— Becky C. in Utah
