Thank you for such a thoughtful and heart-warming reply, Ben Bear.

I believe love is a default setting in all humans when we are children, and it becomes a choice when we grow up. Love is awkward and tentative and vulnerable but it’s always, always worth it.

So I’m oddly hopeful about building a relationship that works with my mom now that I’ll be based on the same continent. It’s a little thing but trains that go to her place depart from the same station the trains from Amsterdam get into Paris and this is going to be my semi-regular commute soon so 🤞…