A happy welcome

“I walked heavyhearted with my daughter, Beth, and my 6-year-old grandson, Evan, to look at yet another house for sale. Since my husband passed away, I wanted something small and simple. Yet nothing I looked at spoke to my heart.

“As we followed the realtor toward the front door, Evan pointed to the garden. ‘Hey, Nana, it’s our rocks!’ he exclaimed.

“I instantly flashed back to that sunny afternoon when Evan and I had painted happy faces on the smooth rocks we’d found at the beach. We’d had so much fun, and my grandson beamed proudly when he sold the whole batch at his family’s yard sale that weekend.

“‘It means this is your house,’ he said, flashing a toothy grin as he hugged me.

“I squeezed him tight, feeling that sense of love and belonging I’d been hunting for. With a smile, I said, ‘I am home.’”

—Liz Kenyon, 52, Corpus Christi, TX