Woman missing grandparents finds their old home listed on Vrbo — it was the sign she'd been waiting for

The scorching summer spent swimming in cool waters and the warm embrace of our grandparents’ love — for many of us, our childhood is deeply associated with our grandparents’ home. When the sorrow of adulting hits hard, it's often the memories of this place that bring us comfort. So, what happens when you are deprived of it? Kat — who goes by the username @katigalassowatts on Instagram — shared a video of her precious childhood memories at her grandparents' old place, and her ardent wish to be back there, just once, left the Internet feeling bittersweet nostalgia.

Kat had an amazing childhood, often visiting her grandparents’ beautiful home during most summers, where she would surf, spend time at the beach, bond with family, and create lasting childhood memories to brace her throughout life. However, a few years ago, due to some unexpected and unfortunate circumstances, they had to sell it. Yet Kat never stopped thinking about it. She wished to return, to spend time sitting on her grandparents’ old porch once again, living her childhood, and those beautiful moments that only seemed to exist in the picture albums.

One day, she randomly checked VRBO (Vacation Rentals in USA) for properties near the old house so she could at least be in close proximity to it and find a way to fulfill her dream. And there it was — she was surprised to learn that the property was listed on the app and only 1 date was available for a stay — her grandfather’s death anniversary. She expressed, “I know it won’t be the same without them both. But I get to sit on my grandparents’ porch again.” Kat revisited the place, sat on the porch, and relived all the core memories that once used to be colorful moments. “It’s never been rented before. Maybe it’s a sign from my pop, maybe not,” she wrote in the video’s caption.

The home that holds thousands of our childhood memories will always be special to us — even if we outgrow the innocence, we mostly never outgrow the place. A book by psychologist Jerry M. Burger reveals, through an experiment, how adults yearn to revisit their childhood homes — about 1 in 3 adults revisited their childhood homes, while 1 in 3 of them wished to do so someday. For most of the demographic that was interviewed, their parents no longer lived there, so they showed up unannounced to ask the new residents to let them in to relive a fraction of the olden days. Burger also mentioned how having to lose the house could feel “like a dancer losing a leg. It’s a really important part of you. And now it’s gone.” This explains why Kat felt the strong urge to sit on that porch for one last time, even though nothing in her life was the same anymore.

The emotional video garnered loads of comments as viewers shared similar experiences. @stephlax88 wrote, “Wow, I’d give anything to sit in the backyard of my old home. My grandma’s home. But they destroyed it and built a mansion on top of the land where I grew up. The tree is still there, though,” while Kat's childhood friend @kincornershop shared, “Angels send us signs in so many ways. When you get there, tell grandpa’s spirit how much I miss his clam sauce and his singing in the kitchen. I know how much you cherished the time you spent with them, and they definitely made our high school summers fun.” Finally, @karlastasyk wished, “This melts my heart for you. I so hope you fully enjoy it!!! Soak every moment in.”

You can follow Kat (@katigalassowatts) on Instagram for more wholesome content.