And as she healed, I healed a little too. I learned that the things we assume from the outside rarely reflect what is truly happening behind closed doors. I learned that exhaustion does not equal indifference, that silence does not equal detachment, and that mothers — especially new ones — need gentleness more than judgment. Families grow stronger when someone chooses to look deeper, to ask, to listen. My daughter-in-law did not just teach me about postpartum depression; she taught me about grace, humility, and the power of showing up with compassion instead of assumptions. And I will carry that lesson for the rest of my life.
