I sent my son and daughter-in-law $700 every week, but they skipped my 75th birthday, ignoring the dinner I had planned and prepared for weeks.

January 7, 2026 by ucef

Then came my 75th birthday. I wore my best blue dress, pearls, shoes that hurt. An hour passed at the quiet Italian restaurant. A call finally came — laughter, music, pop songs. “We’re at a friend’s party,” she said. “Your age means nothing to us.”

The next morning, something shifted. Coffee, pills, the table. I didn’t open the banking app.

When she called, asking why, I said one word:

“Enough.”

Thirty-five minutes later, everything changed. Gratitude, respect, and for the first time in years… real connection.

I learned then: generosity is love, yes—but love without boundaries is just loneliness in disguise.