My wife died suddenly, leaving me with four children—after the funeral, my mother-in-law gave me a sealed box that revealed a message my wife left behind for me.

watched us from the doorway.

“Daddy, who’s going to braid Joan’s hair for school?” she asked.

“I’ll learn,” I told her. “Give me a week. I’ll be terrible at first.”

“Mom did a fishtail.”

“Then I’ll learn a fishtail.”

Joyce slipped past her sister and tugged on my sleeve.

“I’ll learn,”

“Can we eat cereal for breakfast?” Joyce asked. “Mom always made pancakes continue reading …