For years, I believed my uncle was one of the coldest people I knew. Every family gathering turned into criticism, every conversation became a lecture, and every achievement seemed to fall short in his eyes. When we learned he was dying of cancer, most relatives stayed away. No one expected a final moment of understanding between us.

But after my mother urged me to visit him, I walked into his hospital room unsure of what to say. He looked weaker than I remembered, his harsh voice replaced by silence. I left feeling like the visit had changed nothing. When he passed away soon after, I thought our complicated relationship had ended without resolution.