Grandma Anna sat on a bench near the old house where she’d spent her entire life. Now, it belonged to strangers, and she lived with them out of their generosity. Anna couldn’t grasp how things had come to this. She had led a virtuous life, wished harm on no one, and had raised her only son.
But her son hadn’t turned out the way she had intended… Sitting there, Anna relived her life in her mind, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her memories started with her wedding to her beloved John. A year later, they had a baby boy, Paul. Twins—a boy and a girl—were born later, but they were frail and didn’t survive the week. Soon after, John passed away from an undiagnosed appendicitis that led to peritonitis, and it was too late to save him.
Anna mourned for a long time, but crying wouldn’t change anything, and life had to go on. She never remarried despite having suitors, fearing that a stepfather would be difficult for Paul, so she devoted herself entirely to him.
Paul grew up and chose his own path—away from his mother, in the city. He got his education there, married, and settled down. Grandma Anna stayed alone in the small house John had built after their marriage, living there into her old age. Paul would visit sometimes, chop wood and fetch water, helping her in small ways. Yet every year, it became harder for Anna to manage on her own. She kept only a goat and some chickens, but even they required care.
One day, Paul showed up with a man she’d never met.
“Hello, Mum,” he greeted.
“Hello, Paul.”
“This is my friend Eugene,” Paul continued. “He’s interested in buying your house. It’s time you stopped living here all alone and came to live with us in the city.”
Anna was taken aback and sank into a chair.
“Don’t worry, Mum. My wife agrees. We’ll take care of you; you’ll be warm and fed, and you’ll be able to help with the grandchildren. They’re already asking when Grandma Anna is coming.”
Everything had been decided for Anna. What could she do, being old and unable to run a household alone? At least she’d be able to look after her grandkids.
And so Grandma Anna’s house was sold quickly and easily. Before leaving, she took a long time saying goodbye, checking each corner that had memories of her past. When she entered the garden behind the barn, silence greeted her, tightening her heart further. Not long ago, cows mooed, pigs grunted, the goat bleated, and chickens clucked here. Now, it was empty. Anna picked up a handful of dirt she had worked day and night.
It was hard to leave her birthplace and the village where she had lived her entire life. Neighbors cried as they bid her farewell, promising to pray for her happiness in her new home. She looked at her house one last time before heading to her son’s car. What could she do? Such is the bitterness of old age…
At first, living with her son was pleasant. With no stove or livestock, everything was modern and convenient. Anna played with her grandkids and watched TV. Soon, her son used the money from the house sale to buy a car. When Anna voiced her concerns about spending the money so quickly, Paul cut her off, making it clear that the subject was closed. She was to be content living in a warm apartment with everything provided.
From that point on, Anna never brought it up again, but the sting of her son’s words settled deep within her. She noticed that the car’s arrival changed both her son’s and daughter-in-law’s behavior toward her, and even the grandchildren were less obedient and friendly.
Her relatives seemed to forget she existed. They didn’t care whether she had eaten, slept well, or needed anything. It only got worse: she wouldn’t be called to the table and found herself ignored. They responded rudely or even shouted if she said the wrong thing or stood in the wrong place.
Life became difficult for Anna. If she’d known she’d become unwanted so soon, she’d never have agreed to sell the house and leave. It was better to die cold and hungry at home than be unwanted in her son’s luxurious home. She longed for her little cottage daily. If she could, she’d return to the village without a second thought. But the house was sold, and strangers lived there now.
One day, she couldn’t hold back and told her son:
“I never imagined, Paul, that my old age would be so bitter living in your home. It turns out money is more important to you than your own mother. I’m leaving you, all of you…”
Her son averted his eyes and said nothing, only calling after her as she left with her small bundle:
“If you find your way, Mum, you’re always welcome back.”
Anna quietly shut the door and let her tears flow only when she reached the stairway. It hurt her deeply that her son didn’t try to stop her, embrace her, or comfort her, only aiming harsh words at her back to hasten her departure.
For more than a day, Grandma Anna made her way back to her village, sleeping at the station and hitching rides. Her eyes were wet with tears the whole way. She only calmed down when she saw her old home. The new owners had fixed and painted it, and it looked to her as it did when she’d moved in with John.
Though the house was no longer hers, Anna didn’t dwell on that. She quietly snuck into the loft over the pigsty, deciding to live there, simply to be within familiar walls.
Her only fear was that the owners would discover her and throw her out like her son had. If that happened, she’d truly have nowhere to go. Unless the ground opened to take her in.
It didn’t take long for Anna to be found. Early the next morning, the homeowner went to feed the pigs. After scattering the feed, he looked up and said,
“Come down, Grandma Anna. We need to talk.”
The old woman hadn’t expected to be found so soon and was unsure what to do. Regardless, she had to face the homeowners—it was in God’s hands.
To her surprise, the new homeowner spoke kindly and calmly:
“Grandma Anna,” said Eugene, whom Paul had introduced to her. “My wife and I know all about your situation. Your son called to warn us that you might appear here. We also know you didn’t settle into his family. After thinking it over, we’d like to invite you to live with us since your own son’s home doesn’t have a place for you. Living in a pigsty isn’t right, especially when this is your house at heart. You and your husband built it, cared for it for decades. There’s always room for the true mistress of the house! Now come inside to warm up and wash up, and then we’ll get you something to eat. My wife makes an excellent stew!”
Grandma Anna never expected things to turn out this way. Tears of gratitude flowed for the new homeowners, strangers who showed more empathy and compassion than her own son had.
Crossing the threshold of the home, Anna could barely stand. Everything smelled of her life. She realized she’d become a wanderer in her own home because of Paul. The heart of an old mother wept, while her lips prayed for God to forgive Paul…
