The Postcards My Grandma Gave Me Were Hiding A Secret She Took To Her Grave

I had spent years being angry at her for being so strict, so distant sometimes. Now, I finally understood why she had to keep such a high emotional wall up. She was forced to hide the most painful, most beautiful truth of her life every single day.

I sat with this monumental secret for a long time. Then, I made a decision that would change my future.

I called my adoptive parents. I told them absolutely everything. There was a long silence on the line. My mom began to cry. My dad was quiet for so long I worried the call had disconnected. Then he finally said something that I will never forget:

“She loved you harder than we ever could. We always knew it. We just didn’t know why.”

The week after, I brought the letters over, and we read them all together. There were many tears, of course, but also shared laughter and stories I’d never heard. The complete picture of our unusual family finally came into focus.Continue reading…