Posts by: Sophia San Filippo

Based in New York City, Sophia San Filippo has worked with Love What Matters as a lead editor and content curator since early 2019 and has acted as Managing Editor since early 2021. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Binghamton University who holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is passionate about personal storytelling and creating a positive space in media to better the lives of others. On a typical day you can find her rocking out at her local concert venue, admiring nature, or baking her latest kitchen experiment.

‘I couldn’t hide the huge bumps on my face. I felt hideous. I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. I genuinely HATED what I saw.’

“A friend told me, ‘You must not be trying hard enough. Do you wash your face at all?’ For years, I didn’t leave the house. He would offer to take me on dates. My answer was always the same. ‘No.’ I became obsessed.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 20, 2019

‘My boy is 13 and he has WHITE HAIR!’ I went into a hysterical panic and phoned his doctor. We waited in a small exam room with dinosaurs. This alone made me sick; my boy was no toddler.’

“I noticed something strange on Daniel’s knee. A white patch. It was the size of a dime and honestly looked like an old scar. When I asked him what happened, he replied, ‘I don’t know.’ I remember nearly yelling at her, ‘Yes, BUT HE HAS WHITE HAIR! Could there be anything else going on with my son?!'”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 20, 2019

‘I had a vivid dream someone broke into my house. At 5 a.m. the next morning, I awoke to a man crouched on the side of my bed with a knife in hand. My gift began at an early age.’

“I warned him, ‘Something horrible is going to happen.’ He wrote down my dream in his journal and carried it in his backpack. I received his call later. ‘Everything you said was true!'”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 18, 2019

‘Oh no, Mommy, the feet are coming out first.’ We watched one birth, then another and another.’: Adorable little girl enthusiastically ‘prepares’ for brother’s home birth

“‘Mommy? If you don’t have a midwife… I can help you with the birth.’ I wanted her to be prepared for the home birth of her little brother, so I showed her a birth video. ‘Can we watch another one?’ She was fascinated.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 15, 2019

I Got Divorced After 22 Years Of Marriage, Then I Stepped Foot In Kmart And Found My Soulmate

“He said, ‘I’d ask you out if you weren’t wearing that wedding ring.’ Newly single, it was the first day of the rest of my life. I had to act swiftly.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 15, 2019

‘Weeks before boot camp he said, ‘What if we get married?!’ I knew the risks. The statistics were against us.’: Military spouse candidly recounts ‘navigating the chaos’ of young marriage, pregnancy

“When I got pregnant, we had a fairy tale image of what our little life would look like. We went from the comforts of our family homes to living off ramen. From regular date nights and weekend outings to sleeping in shifts. We barely spoke. Our connection and intimacy had gone numb.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 14, 2019

‘If I refused, I’d get in trouble. I had to keep my head down, my mouth shut. I couldn’t ‘ruin’ her image of the perfect family.’: Sexual assault survivor breaks silence after 2 decades

“At first, Mickey’s grooming was very subtle. I was starved for affection. He used that to introduce adult discussions and behaviors. I saw glimpses of silent threats. He’d sit in the dark until I got home, silently staring, so I knew he was watching. He’d threaten to kick me out, send me away to the state. All in the name of control.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 14, 2019

‘Your sister’s been in an accident.’ He broke the news. ‘Where are the kids?!’: Woman adopts long-lost nieces and nephews, ‘Our hearts are so full’

“I called my husband, worried what he’d say. I wanted my nieces and nephews. He responded, ‘Let’s go get our kids.’ We had no idea what we were getting into. We’d never even met them. One by one, they entered the room. I sat there quietly, but inside I was screaming, ‘I am your aunt!’”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 13, 2019

‘I had one job: protect my children. The next day he was gone and there was no way to get him back. I felt myself slipping away from reality.’

“On my son’s birthday, I laid on the floor, belly-down, with my hands on my chest to force myself not to hyperventilate. Minutes later, I rejoined the party with a smile on my face. ‘I am fine,’ I told myself.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 13, 2019

‘My father secretly recorded videos of me naked. I wanted nothing but my mother’s love and support. ‘Get out of my house,’ she told me.’

“I wouldn’t allow him to have power over me any longer. I stood up and walked out of the house. No one followed, no one cared. I had angels flying over me that night.”

Published by Sophia San Filippo - Mar 12, 2019