When I was five, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and when I was eleven, she passed away. It was the hardest experience I have ever had. A week after she passed away, I returned to school, and on that particular day, we had a fire drill. The alarm was sounding, and my class was falling into line outside. I wore my favorite Star Wars R2-D2 t-shirt.

While we were standing outside, a woman approached me, pointed to my shirt, and said, "Do you like that?" I nodded and replied, "Yes." She then instructed me, "Look a little more happy, sweetheart." What shocked me was that this woman wore sunglasses that my mom used to wear—her favorite! She also wore shoes that were the same as my mom's and an identical fur coat.". The only time I really did feel it was when I saw the woman with the hijab.

My Middle Eastern immigrant mother had been made to wear one when she was a child. When the woman turned away, one of my classmates sitting beside me leaned over and whispered, "That was weird," and that made me feel better and know that I wasn't losing my mind! Ever since, I've felt like I've had a shadow cast over me with random reminders of her. Sometimes, I even hear her calling my name. She's helping out too, it seems—she will turn the lights on and wake me up sometimes by turning the lights on in my room.

Am I crazy?