Every morning, I make coffee, open the curtains, and sit beside the window overlooking the roses she planted.
And every Sunday, my grandchildren come for lunch.
Last week, Emily asked me something that brought tears to my eyes.
“Grandpa, why do grown-ups sometimes hurt people they love?”
I thought for a moment.
“Sometimes people become so afraid of losing what they want that they forget what they already have.”
She hugged me.
“Well, I don’t want your money, Grandpa. I just want you.”
I held her close and cried.
Because at seventy-eight, after everything I’d experienced, those were the richest words I’d ever heard.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: No matter how old you are, nobody—not even your own child—has the right to take away your dignity, your freedom, or your peace.
