Grandma Hana lived in a small wooden house by the rice fields. The place was peaceful, but peace meant very little when the heart felt empty. Each night, she sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her old phone — the one that rarely rang anymore.

A Heart That Waited for a Message That Never Came

Her children were grown now, busy with their own families in the city. They promised to visit often, but life has a cruel way of stealing time.
Weeks became months.
Months slowly turned into years.

Still, Hana kept her phone charged, hoping that maybe — just maybe — someone would remember her.

A simple “How are you, Mom?”
It would have been enough.

But the screen stayed dark.

The House Filled With Echoes

During the day, she kept herself busy cleaning every corner of her home. She dusted shelves that didn’t need dusting. She rearranged pots in the kitchen that were perfectly fine. She swept the floor even when it was already spotless.

She didn’t do it because the house was dirty.
She did it because silence was too heavy to sit with.

Every sound she made — the soft tapping of the broom, the clicking of plates, the creak of her rocking chair — became echoes that reminded her she was alone.

Memories Came Like Old Friends

One evening, while searching for her missing glasses, she found an old box. Inside were memories she had forgotten:

• letters from her husband when they were young,
• photographs of her children in school uniforms,
• birthday cards made with crayons,
• tiny socks from when her first grandchild was born.

She held each item carefully, as if touching them too hard would break the past.

Tears began to fall, silent and slow.
Not because she was sad about the past — but because she missed the love that once filled her life.

The Loneliest Dinner

That night, she cooked dinner for one. She placed the plate in front of her and sat quietly, staring at the empty chair across the table.
She used to set that chair for her husband.
Later, for her children.
Now, it stayed empty — but she kept it anyway.

She whispered softly,
“Maybe tomorrow won’t be this quiet.”

But she didn’t sound convinced.

A Storm Outside, A Storm Inside

Just as she finished eating, the rain began pouring heavily. Lightning flashed, shaking the windows of her small home. The power flickered and went off. The house sank into complete darkness.

Her breath trembled.
She wasn’t afraid of the storm — she was afraid of facing it alone.

She curled up on the bed, clutching her blanket tightly, and cried quietly until she fell asleep.

Morning and the Unexpected Visitor

When she woke up, sunlight filled the room. Everything felt softer, as if the world wanted to apologize.

Then she heard it — gentle knocking on the door.

She opened it slowly and saw a young boy from the neighborhood, holding a small bag of bread.

“My mom said you might need breakfast,” he said with a shy smile.

Grandma Hana felt her heart warm for the first time in a long while.

“Thank you, dear,” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly.

A Small Kindness Can Save a Heart

That simple visit became a turning point.
The boy began stopping by almost every morning. Sometimes he brought bread, sometimes just stories from school. He filled her quiet house with gentle noise — the kind she had missed for years.

A lonely heart doesn’t need many people.
Sometimes, it only needs one kind soul to remind it that it still matters.