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I remember when my husband had a health scare. We called each child. Only one picked up. She asked, “Is it serious?” We said no. We always say no.

They grew up, just like we hoped — into doctors, engineers, people the world admires. They built full, busy lives in cities far away, filled with milestones we only hear about in passing. We were proud, of course. Proud of who they became, proud of the sacrifices we made. But then the visits stopped. The calls became brief. Birthdays slipped by unnoticed. Holidays came and went with empty chairs at our table. We told ourselves they were just busy — that this was normal. But deep down, I felt the shift, and it became harder to ignore when…

We never had much in the way of money. But we had something stronger — devotion. The kind that doesn’t waver when things get tight or dreams get delayed.

From the moment our first child entered the world, our lives shifted. Everything — every decision, every sacrifice — revolved around them. We gave up dinners out, vacations, new clothes, and even our own ambitions. We lived simply so they could live fully.

While others upgraded their lives, we tightened our belts. One car, secondhand everything, packed lunches, and quiet weekends at home. We skipped luxuries to build something far more valuable: stability, warmth, and a home where love echoed louder than any television ever could.