I've lived overseas for 15 years. Saying goodbye to my mom never gets easier.

The author moved from the US to Wales 15 years ago.

Courtesy of the author

• Moving overseas meant living far from my mom for most of my adult life.
• Staying close across an ocean takes effort, grief, and resilience.
• Saying goodbye never gets easier, even after 15 years.

I just said goodbye to my mom after having three weeks with her. She made the journey from North Carolina to see me, her oldest daughter, in Wales.

Fifteen years ago, I met a Welsh boy...