LJ Herman is a former editor at Love What Matters and lives in Colorado. LJ is a concert, ticket and technology enthusiast. He has seen the Dave Mathews Band over one hundred times and counting.
‘Today you cried in the hospital parking garage. Your face broke when you looked at the last picture you took of your sleeping child.’: Woman says you are more than ‘just a nurse’
“To the nurse that pushed sedation and paralytics into the veins of your favorite physician. To the provider sleeping in a tent, hotel, camper, basement, or garage in an effort to minimize your family’s exposure. My prayer is you never wake up in the night sweating or gasping for breath. May you stay the course as one of the ‘mild’ cases.”
‘We cloth diapered so we can stomach cloth toilet paper if it comes down to it. We live the camper life, full time. COMMUNICATION IS VITAL.’: Mom who lives in camper says ‘it’s OKAY to need space right now’
“We packed up the essentials and moved 600 miles away from our home into a 100-square-foot camper. It’s safe to say we know a little something about small space confinement. This could be your most connected year, if you allow it to be.”
‘I remember saying the very words, ‘Not her.’ That was my breaking point. Hurt me, but not my sister. I threatened to tell my mommy what they did.’: After surviving abuse, cancer woman says ‘sometimes just having someone to talk to is enough’
“I tried to hide it from my parents but their child had changed and they knew something had happened. I walked onto the bridge with tears in my eyes. This is how I would do it. She watched me, and through the grace of God, decided she should call the police. This woman, I truly believe, was an angel.”
‘His frail fingers shook as he grasped the bananas. I felt a gut punch for this little old man bagging my groceries. Why was he even working?!’: Woman says ‘stay home, there are people who could die because they can’t’
“I quickly paid and pushed my cart to my car, my face feeling flush with shame. This precious man, for reasons our society is too selfish to address, must continue to go to work. If you find yourself wondering if the errand is worth the risk, look at this picture.”
‘We cancelled our baby shower. I went from Googling dangly monkey earrings to ‘28-week baby premature survival rates.’: Woman expecting her rainbow baby says ‘I will continue to stay home and fight to be a helper’
“But then, people I love dearly got laid off. But then, I found myself on the phone with older family members I naively thought would live forever, suddenly wondering ‘what if.’ But then, people started to die. In what felt like a matter of minutes, it became more clearly into focus what was really at stake.”
‘You’re asking me to take in a 15-year-old teenager who is about to give birth?’ This is not what we signed up for.’: Couple become grandparents at 35, ‘She made our life better’
“’She’s due in 3 weeks and has nowhere to go. Would you guys please take her?’ We can’t do this. On the other hand, how could I say no? This young girl was just desperate for a mom, her mom, and she was getting me instead.”
‘Just keep me comfortable.’ She seemed sure and confident, even in the whisper that had become her voice.’: Woman describes bond with ‘vibrant’ grandmother, ‘I appreciate having been on the receiving end for so many years’
“The first thing my daughter, Leah, said upon entering the hospital room was ‘pacifier,’ referring to the CPAP keeping my beautiful grandmother’s lungs expanding in that crisp, white hospital bed. Her red hair was squished in the back, eyes revealing fatigue, but thankfully not discomfort. She drove a white Thunderbird when I was a kid.”
‘Sorry we dropped the ball and didn’t tell you about this, but we found it in your blood work 4 years ago.’: After years of fatigue, husband is finally diagnosed with rare blood cancer
“He just needed to learn how to de-stress properly after work. He just needed to sleep better. He just needed to make more of an effort. Fine. Whatever. ‘Honey, I need you to take me to the ER.’ I looked at my husband, who absolutely hates stepping foot inside of a hospital. Something was wrong.”
‘His family kept up appearances and cared what people thought. Everyone knew mine was a hot mess. We’d never seen a relationship we would want. We had to go find it.’: Woman claims the ‘communication’ is the key to a healthy relationship
“We were too young, too inexperienced, too still in college, too poor… I was 18 and he was 20. Nobody wanted us to get married. His family got quiet, tiptoed, and avoided.”
‘A state trooper pulled me over. As I sputtered to apologize and waited for a ticket, he reached in to hand me five N95 masks. I burst into tears.’: Health care worker thanks state trooper for act of kindness, ‘We are going to be okay’
“He reached in to hand me what I assumed was my license back. It wasn’t until my hand had closed around it that its unexpected bulkiness drew my eyes to it. I burst into tears. This complete stranger, who owed me nothing and is more on the front lines than I am, shared his precious masks with me, without my even asking.”