"I just said goodbye to my mom after having three weeks with her. She made the journey from North Carolina to see me, her oldest daughter, in Wales. Fifteen years ago, I met a Welsh boy, fell in love, and moved my just-starting-out adult life to the UK, not having the foresight to realize what a huge decision this was."
"When I had my three kids, each two years apart, I felt a deep longing for my mom. Not someone to do the laundry, clean the dishes, or have the baby for me in the night. I could do all of this - I was and still am fiercely independent. I wanted her to just sit with me. And I know she wanted exactly the same."
I moved to Wales at 22 after falling in love, leaving my mother in North Carolina and spending most of my adult life apart from her. Staying close across an ocean required effort, grief, and resilience. My mother reacted to the goodbye with deep tears, understanding its likely permanence. Early contact was limited to weekly Skype calls; later communication became daily via WhatsApp and phone. Having three children intensified longing for her presence during postpartum months. Visits provide comfort and connection, but each farewell remains painful even after fifteen years, requiring ongoing emotional work to sustain the relationship.
Read at Business Insider
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