An unbroken connection The power of love

“My daughter, Neena, and I are so close—we’ve always shared an extra-special bond that made us not only mother and daughter but best friends. So when she and her husband moved cross-country to Colorado for his job, it absolutely gutted me.

The thought that I couldn’t feel her near me anymore, look into her eyes and know when she needed me was devastating. ‘Mom, we can talk all the time over text and FaceTime,’ she had said happily. But the more we texted instead of hugged, the more disconnected I felt.

“One day while window shopping at the mall, I passed a kids’ clothing store. I had walked by 100 times before and never been inside. With no grandchildren of my own, it wasn’t a store I would normally frequent, but that day I had the most powerful urge to pop in and look at baby girl dresses and booties.

“My heart soared as I browsed and I felt an unexplainable need to call

Neena. Before she could say anything, I blurted,

‘You’re pregnant, aren’t you?’ Surprised, she gushed, ‘Yes! How did you know? I just left the doctor’s office and I haven’t told anyone yet!’ Overjoyed, I did a happy little dance, drawing stares from shoppers.

“‘Mom, do you think it’s a boy or girl?’ she asked, bubbling over. I glanced at the frilly little dress in my hand and answered, ‘I’d bet on pink.’”

—Adrienne Lang, 51, Manchester, NH