“Mom, has anything been troubling you lately?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She looked at me, and for the first time, I noticed how tired and worn out she seemed. “I…I don’t know,” she stammered. “Sometimes I feel like I’m not myself.”

Her admission was both a relief and a concern. It was clear something was affecting her mentally, perhaps more seriously than I had ever thought. I suggested we visit a doctor together, reassuring her that it was just to talk, to understand what was happening. She reluctantly agreed, perhaps sensing that she needed help.