I lost my wife the day our triplets were born—ten years later, we found a box on our porch labeled, “To my beautiful daughters. Love, Mom.”

done even as a baby.

“Notice lonely people before they ask to be noticed.”

I opened the notebook again and read the final page.

“Alan, if you’re reading this, please don’t think I expected to leave you. Doctors told us that my pregnancy was complicated. But I wasn’t afraid. I expected gray hair, arguments over bedtime, and three girls rolling their eyes continue reading …