Dear Daughter, If You See Me Aging—Please Be Patient…” 🌹

Svitlana sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, gazing out the window where autumn leaves floated lazily. On the table lay a letter—yellowed with time, its ink slightly faded. She had found it recently among her mother’s old things. Simple words, yet they made her chest ache.
“My dear daughter, if you notice me growing old—please, be patient…” the letter began.
She remembered the time she had snapped at her mother when she struggled with a new phone, sighing impatiently, “Mom, how many times do I have to explain?” Her mother had only smiled softly and repeated her question, as if oblivious to her irritation.
Evening conversations resurfaced in her mind—her mother at the kitchen table retelling childhood stories, memories of the war, the early years in the city. Back then, Svitlana would dismiss them, tired of hearing the same tales. Now… now she would give anything to hear that voice again—calm, warm, so familiar she had once taken it for granted.
She recalled how her mother used to hold her hand on the way to kindergarten, kiss her goodnight, tell her favorite stories over and over. How gently she coaxed her into the bath when the little girl resisted. How patiently she taught her to tie shoelaces, braid hair, eat with a spoon.
Everything had changed. Now Svitlana was a mother herself. And she understood—those words in the letter weren’t just a request. They were a testament to love. A reminder to stay close, even when age makes a person vulnerable, slow, sometimes clumsy.
She rose from the table and looked at her mother’s photo. Though she was no longer here, something greater remained—memory, warmth, love that never faded. And she promised herself: one day, if her daughter noticed her wrinkles or forgetfulness, she wouldn’t take offense. Because she now knew—what truly mattered was simply being together. Holding hands. Loving without words.
Carefully, she folded the letter and placed it among her most treasured keepsakes. Then she whispered:
“I love you too, Mom… Always 🌼.”