**Diary Entry**
It took Anna years to finally make up her mind. After her beloved grandmothers funeral, something inside her shifted. She pulled out her phone, looked up the train schedule, and booked a ticket to her hometown. It was time to face the past head-on and make peace with it once and for all.
The train raced through endless fields and woodlands, leaving behind the familiar landscapes of her childhood. Anna stared out the window, lost in thought. Maybe her grandmother had been rightperhaps forgiveness was the only way to unshackle herself from the weight of old grudges and move forward.
Her heart pounded as the train pulled into the small station of her hometown. Her steps faltered, as if her legs refused to carry her further. She moved slowly, mechanically, pausing every few paces to steady herself.
At last, there it wasthe little wooden cottage where shed once lived, where her mother had later died. The place looked abandoned now, windows covered in yellowed newspapers, shutters creaking in the wind. Annas chest ached as memories flooded backhappy moments with her father and brothers, the only threads still tying her to this place. A heavy padlock hung on the door, rusted with age. One tug, and the whole thing might crumble. But she didnt try. Instead, she sat on the rickety porch, lost in thought for two long hours before standing abruptly and walking back to the station. Did she feel lighter? Yes. The bitterness had loosened its grip.
Ten years earlier, Anna had sat in front of her computer, eyes fixed on the screen but mind miles awaytrapped in memories of a childhood that had long since turned sour. Her fingers absently toyed with an old school pen.
Her father was gone forever, leaving behind three children and a wife drowning in grief and self-pity. Anna remembered it all too wellthe stale stench of cheap whiskey, her mothers endless tears, her older brothers constant whining, and herself, a frightened five-year-old clinging to her grandmothers knees, utterly lost. No more bedtime stories, no more gentle hands smoothing her hair. *Why then?* she often wondered later. Why did fate take him when they needed him most?
And now, years later, came the newsher mother had died.
*”Will you at least go to the funeral?”* Her grandmothers voice was sharp, accusing. She stood there, arms crossed, disapproval written all over her face.
Anna looked up from the screen, her gaze icy. *”Why should I? I hated her. That woman Alcohol turned her into a monster who didnt care about her own daughter.”*
*”She was your mother,”* her grandmother snapped. *”Even if things were bad, theres still respectstill memory!”*
*”Respect?”* Anna scoffed. *”After Dad died, she couldnt even take care of us. You and Aunt Margaret had to step in while she drowned herself in drink!”*
*”But maybe”* Her grandmother sighed, searching for the right words. *”Maybe she was suffering. Grief broke her.”*
*”Suffering?”* Anna gave a bitter laugh. *”Theres suffering, Gran, and then theres giving up. She chose the latter. We were just an excuse for another glass of wine.”*
The memories stung. Years of neglect, of silence, of helpless anger. Her mother had stopped caring about her childrens lives, ignoring their struggles and triumphs alike. The pain twisted inside Anna, sharpened by resentment.
Her father had always softened the edges, but without him, life became unbearable. His younger sister, Aunt Margaret, took charge and moved the children to her home in another towna fresh start, a new life.
Yet thoughts of her mother haunted Anna, stirring shame and guilt. How could she feel such hatred for the woman who should have loved her unconditionally? But reality always dragged her backto the times shed felt unwanted, forgotten. Indifference left wounds that never quite healed.
Finally, her grandmother placed a hand on her shoulder. *”I understand how you feel, love, I do. But sometimes letting go helps. Maybe going back would give you a chance to forgive herto free yourself.”*
*”No.”* Annas reply was firm. *”I wont go. Dont ask me again.”*
Now her grandmother was gone too.
Anna returned from her hometown with a clearer mind. The memories of her childhood resurfaced, filling the void left by her fathers death. She wanted to leave the bitterness behind, to step forward unburdened.
Her grandmother had been right all along. Forgiveness wasnt for her motherit was for herself. A chance to shed the weight of the past and walk forward without looking back. There would be challenges ahead, but now she was ready to face them, open to whatever came next.
That trip had been a turning point. It taught her the power of letting go. From now on, she would live freely, holding onto the good memoriesthe love, the lightand leaving the rest behind.
