I am 69 years old this year.
My hair is almost completely white now. When I wake up in the morning, my bones ache before my thoughts do. I move more slowly, breathe more carefully, and choose my words with intention — because at this age, peace matters more than being right.
Since my husband passed away, I have been living with my eldest son and his wife in our modest home in the countryside. It’s not a big house. Just a few rooms, thin walls, and a small kitchen that always smells faintly of rice and soup.
They tell me I’m lucky.
“Not every old woman has children to take care of her,” people say.
I used to believe that.
My youngest son, Jun, works overseas. He left years ago, carrying nothing but a suitcase and a heart full of determination. Before he boarded the plane, he hugged me tightly and whispered:
“Mom, don’t worry. Every month, I’ll send money to your bank account. Use it for your daily needs… and for when you get older.”
Those words stayed with me.
They gave me comfort.
They gave me security.
They made me feel loved.
Every month, without fail, Jun would call me.
“Did you receive the money, Mom?”
“Are you eating well?”
“Please don’t hesitate to use it.”
I always answered the same way.
“Yes, son. Don’t worry.”
But the truth was…
I had never received a single peso.
The Strange Feeling That Wouldn’t Go Away
At first, I blamed myself.
Maybe I didn’t check carefully enough.
Maybe the bank made a mistake.
Maybe the transfer was delayed.
I told myself not to overthink it.
But one month became three.
Three became six.
And before I realized it, almost a year had passed.
Still nothing.
I continued living only on my government senior pension — the kind that barely covers basic food and medicine. I learned to stretch every bill, to skip meals quietly, to pretend I wasn’t hungry.
Sometimes, when my grandchildren asked for snacks, I would smile and say I wasn’t hungry — even when my stomach ached.
Whenever I gently asked about the money, my daughter-in-law would respond with a soft smile and a gentle voice:
“Mom, you’re already old. You don’t really need much. We take care of you.”
Her tone sounded loving.
Her words sounded thoughtful.
But something inside my chest felt tight.
Something felt wrong.
The Phone Call That Shook Me
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