but unsure of the gesture’s meaning—was it kindness or closure? As we arrived home, she told me the real gift was in the glove compartment. Inside, I found childhood drawings she had made—pictures of us as a family, with me labeled “Mom.”The emotions overwhelmed me. Years of uncertainty melted as she softly said, “I’ve always loved you, Mom. I just didn’t know how to say it.”MThat moment changed everything. The car was thoughtful,
but those drawings—and her words—were the true gift. It was the first time I truly felt like her mother, and the start of a deeper, heartfelt bond between us.