A Quiet Week in Germany: Healing, Family Time & Longing for My Son

A Quiet Week in Germany: Healing, Family Time & Longing for My Son
By Sophie Mutlu

It’s been a week since I arrived in Germany, and this time has brought both softness and ache.

Right now, I’m here without Kato. It’s the longest I’ve ever been away from him, and I feel it everywhere — in my chest, my breath, my rhythm. I miss him deeply. His laugh, his arms around me, the way he looks up at me when he’s about to say something important.

But I also know this space is necessary.

This visit is giving me what I couldn’t find back home lately: ease. The chance to be with people who love me gently, to reconnect with family I haven’t seen in years, to breathe without feeling like I have to explain or defend myself.

It’s been a time to talk — about things we’ve kept quiet for too long. About family history. About patterns. About the ways we’ve all been shaped, and the ways we choose to grow beyond them.
And most importantly, to rest my soul far from stress and toxicity. Being away from people who drain me has given me perspective and peace.

There’s been nature, too. Fields of dandelions. Blossoms hanging heavy on old trees. Familiar streets that stir up old memories.
Germany in spring is tender, and it holds me kindly.

I’m not pushing myself to be productive. I’m just allowing myself to be — to feel the weight of missing Kato and also the grace of remembering who I am, on my own.

I’ll see Kato again on May 6th. I know that moment will be full of emotion. But I also know I’m returning to him more grounded, more steady. Because this week, I’ve chosen to care for myself, even in his absence.

Thank you for being part of this story. I’m grateful for every quiet moment, every message, and every heart that reads along.

With love,
Sophie