After a lifetime of odd jobs and uncertainty, I inherited a broken-down farm from a father I never knew. Hoping to start fresh, I moved in — but soon noticed my neighbor, Linda, copying everything I did: my yellow fence, mailbox design, even yoga poses.

Frustrated, I confronted her. She silently led me inside, where I found dozens of letters — all addressed to me. One read: “I am your mother… I have autism… I didn’t know how to speak to you, so I copied you. It was my way of being close.”

I was stunned. She’d taken care of the farm after Dad died and watched from afar as I arrived. Days later, she left a note: “Saved the milk in my fridge. Love, Mom.” It broke me.

Then came 30 handwritten letters — one for each year of my life. Each filled with imagined milestones and love.

We began again, awkward but willing. Over tea and yoga poses, I finally called her “Mom.” And that yellow fence? It wasn’t imitation—it was her way of saying, “I’ve always been here.”