My mother gave birth to me when she was 18. When she split from my dad I went to live with him as he was in a better position to look after me. After a few years my mum remarried. My mum sent me birthday and Christmas cards each year but I am ashamed to say that I did not do anything to keep in touch with her. That was until I finished university. My father said that he had heard that my mum had just had a baby and was very keen to see me. As my mum lived in a different city I contacted her and asked her if she wanted me to visit her. I admitted that I was very uncertain about meeting her. I had spent years feeling deserted by her and was not sure I could understand or forgive her for what she had done. She said she fully understood but would love to try and make things up to me. I was nervous as I walked up the short drive to the front door of a detached house in a pleasant neighborhood. When my mum opened the door we fell into each other's arms and hugged for a long time. Both of us were in floods of tears but that felt kind of cathartic for me. When we finally let go of each other I knew that somehow we would be friends.