When I was 11, my mom tragically drowned in an unexpected beach accident. She was a strong swimmer, but a rip current took her. My dad was devastated, and it took time for us to adjust to life without her. Last month, I was in Paris for work when I saw a woman who could have been my mom’s twin. I approached her, shared my story, showed her pictures, and asked if she knew anything about my mother.
She smiled and explained that she had a twin sister, and they were adopted by different families as babies. She also mentioned that she had tried to reconnect with my mom years ago, but for some reason, they didn’t connect and decided not to stay in touch.
She gave me a hug, expressed her condolences for my loss, patted me on the shoulder, and then walked away. I never saw her again, and I didn’t bring it up to my dad.
