“My Children Ignored Me for Years: But When They Heard About My Will, They Came Running”

I always dreamed of a big, loving family. When my two children, Mark and Lisa, were born, I was overjoyed. I imagined they would be there for me in my old age, just as I had been there for them throughout their lives. But reality turned out to be far different from my dreams.

As the years went by, Mark and Lisa grew up, got married, and had children of their own. I was thrilled to become a grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren. However, as their lives became busier, their visits became less frequent. Eventually, they stopped coming altogether.

For five long years, I lived in solitude. My days were filled with silence and loneliness. I would occasionally receive a phone call on holidays or birthdays, but those were few and far between. My daughters-in-law never called, and my grandchildren seemed to have forgotten about me entirely.

I tried to reach out to them, but my calls often went unanswered. When I did manage to get through, the conversations were brief and filled with excuses about how busy they were. It was clear that I was no longer a priority in their lives.

One day, feeling particularly despondent, I confided in my niece, Emily. She had always been there for me, visiting regularly and helping with chores around the house. Emily suggested that I consider leaving my house to her in my will. She assured me that she would take care of it and keep it in the family.

I thought long and hard about it and eventually decided that it was the right thing to do. Emily had shown me more love and care than my own children had in years. So, I made the necessary arrangements and informed my lawyer of my decision.

Word must have gotten out because, within days, Mark and Lisa showed up at my doorstep. It was the first time I had seen them in years. They were not alone; their spouses and children were with them too. At first, I was overjoyed to see them all together again. But that joy quickly turned to sorrow when I realized why they were there.

They had heard about my decision to leave the house to Emily and were furious. They accused me of being unfair and selfish. They claimed that the house should rightfully go to them and their children. The scene quickly turned ugly as they shouted and argued amongst themselves.

I tried to explain my reasoning, but they wouldn’t listen. They were only interested in the property and what it could mean for their financial future. It was heartbreaking to see how little they cared about me as a person.

In the end, they left in a huff, vowing to contest the will. I was left standing alone in the doorway, tears streaming down my face. The realization hit me hard: all they wanted from me was the house. The love and support I had hoped for in my old age were never going to come from them.

Now, I spend my days in the same silence and loneliness as before. Emily still visits regularly, but the pain of knowing that my own children only see me as a means to an end is a heavy burden to bear. My dreams of a loving family have been shattered, replaced by the harsh reality of greed and indifference.