My spouse Jason and I dedicated our entire life to our children.
We sacrificed so that they could have more. We wore old clothes so they could get new ones. We missed meals, postponed goals, and worked hard to make them a reality. We never wanted anything more than for them to be happy, successful, and loved as children.

But now, in our old age, when our bodies hurt and our hearts are fatigued, we find ourselves in a house filled with stillness. No laughs. There are no knocks at the door. Only pain and stillness. Jason has left, and I am sitting here alone, listening to the walls resound with memories.

I stopped locking the door. Not because I was predicting anyone — but because I was simply too tired. Tired of waiting. Tired of hoping. Tired of being forgotten.

Then, one day, something unexpected occured.
A knock. I opened the door to see a young woman, maybe in her early twenties, curly hair, unsure eyes. She looked lost.

“Sorry, wrong flat,” she said. But something in me approached.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” I asked.

Her name was Mina. She was tired and lonely — just like I was. She began visiting now and then. We’d share tea, banana bread, and soft laughter. I shared her stories about Jason — how he used to bring home wildflowers, how he once got rinsed fixing the roof during a storm. Her visits became something I hoped for.

Mina knocked to the door on my birthday, which my children had forgotten. She was holding a small cake. A single candle glowed on top. I cried that evening. No, not because of the cake. But that was the first time in a long time that someone remembered me.

Later that week, I received a note from Emily, my youngest. “Hope you’re doing okay.”
That was all. No call. No visit. Just five words. But I did not feel broken. I felt weirdly free. No waiting required. Free from anticipating something that may never come.

I started to live again. Slowly. I began going for walks. I planted fresh basil in a pot by the window. I signed up for a ceramics class and molded a crooked little cup that made me smile. Mina came for dinner sometimes. Not always. And that was okay. Her presence, even in small moments, delivered encouragement.

Then, one day, a photo arrived in the mail.
It was an old picture of Jason and me at the beach. We were smiling — truly smiling. Behind it was a note: “I’m so sorry.” No name. No explanation. Maybe it came from one of the children. Maybe it didn’t.

I placed the photo on the mantel and softly muttered, “I forgive you.”

Because, over time, I’ve realized that being needed is not the same as being loved. For years, we were needed. We gave and gave, but rarely did we receive unconditional love. I now understand that true love is when someone shows up not out of duty, but because they care.

So, if you feel forgotten, do not close your heart. Leave the door open. Not for those who have left, but for those who may still arrive. Love can appear in the most unexpected ways, such as through the incorrect door, with curly hair, and with a cup of tea.