My world shattered when I became a young widow with two little sons to raise. Despite endless struggles, I was determined to give my children a happy childhood. “I had nothing but shoeboxes and a mother’s love,” I recalled, “but I made it work.” My boys, Oscar and Damon, grew up with handmade toys like Brownie, a cardboard creation that still held so much love.

When they visited me years later, memories of those tough times flooded back. “Your dad left us with nothing,” I told them, “but we had each other.” Damon remembered the sacrifices, saying, “You never complained, Mom.”

I made toys like Brownie with whatever I could find. “You boys were thrilled with that cardboard soccer table,” I reminisced, “it made all those sleepless nights worth it.”

Now grown, my sons offered to take care of me, but I declined, wanting to cherish the memories in our old home. “Remember where you started,” I told them, “and be grateful for the love that made you who you are today.”