Today we're sending Sally away for a week of summer camp. She never actually asked to go. It was all my idea to sign up（报名）.She's nearly 12，and I notice that I'm with my child nearly 24 hours a day.

Living on a farm without any neighbors，I've chosen a life that is quieter than a typical family's. But rather than longing for space away from me，Sally has become increasingly dependent on me.

What frightens me most is that she has become a "mini-me". She follows my hobbies，my dreams and my opinions. And that's why I pulled her to the summer camp，a nearby wilderness camp called Hawk Circle.

After we ate，we drove to Hawk Circle. Once there，we got a tour of the grounds and were introduced to Sally's fellow campers. Sally stood by the group of children，holding my hand and with fear in her eyes trying to pick up the courage to join in a game of soccer.

"I need you for a few more minutes，"she told me，holding my hand tightly（紧紧地）.

I pulled her away and walked up to one of the camp workers. "Excuse me，"I said loudly." I'd like to introduce my daughter to you. Maybe you could help her meet a few of these kids. "He came over to talk to Sally，and I kissed on her cheek and then my husband and I disappeared before Sally realized we were gone.

It was not until we drove home that I finally felt it. A piece of my soul had been taken from my body. I began to shake. Tears streamed down my face. It took every bit of my strength to keep driving forward.

When we arrived home，I calmed down and reminded myself why I chose this path. I want Sally to have a chance to find herself out of my shadow. I don't want to see only myself in my child. I want to learn who she is. After 12 years of constantly being together，I want to finally meet my daughter for the first time.

It seemed like a typical November day, a month after my grandmother had passed away. I was frustrated by everything that was going on around me.

I was mad and confused about everyone especially when I saw a young girl walking through the store holding her grandmother’s hand. The little girl was begging her grandmother for ice cream just like I used to when I was young. I was jealous of the little girl, because she had something I didn’t have anymore — a grandmother by her side.

I had to force myself to ignore the little girl. She was just too happy for me and that was unacceptable at that time in my world.

I went to the cash register to pay for my things. It was then that my anger quickly shifted from the little girl to the cashier. She took my things to another register. When the cashier gave me my change I didn’t say thank you. I simply took my change and left.

Feeling tired and hopeless, I began walking to my car. As I stood in a public parking lot a million questions formed in my mind. Why did this happen to me? Aren’t we supposed to get signs from the people that passed on? Why didn’t I feel her presence anymore?

Suddenly, a woman driving right by my side rolled down her window. “Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me,” she said loudly. Thinking she was going to ask for my parking spot, I simply pointed to my car. “No, excuse me,” she said again.

Then I felt I had no choice but to see what this annoying lady wanted. She reached to the very bottom of her bag and handed me a three-page booklet. “It looks like that you need this,” she said calmly with a smile on her face.

I looked down at the used booklet and there were some big bold letters on the front cover reading, “What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?” By the time I looked up she had gone.

I felt a sense of relaxation as I read the first page. It explained how people pass on and that their spirit remains with us. It was the first time since my grandmother passed away that I had felt her with me. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but I knew that I finally felt happiness from a stranger.