“I sat there and watched as he gripped his pen and began to write. He wrote down one word.”
‘His sign caught my attention. ‘I don’t care who you are, I love you…’ I stood there reading it, until he finally said, ‘Hi.’ I cocked my head to the side.’
‘My bully wasn’t a kid on the playground.’: Child abuse survivor shares journey to ‘re-claiming’ her power
“While other girls my age chased butterflies and dreams, I hid in closets from my living nightmares.”
‘At first all I saw was the mess. Their cleaning after dinner was sub-par. There’s still crap everywhere. And for the LOVE, why do the shoes NEVER get put in the bin?!’
Mother of five children shares the importance of taking a break, even when the kitchen looks messy in a hectic household. Read more here.
‘Me: ‘My brother has Down syndrome.’ Almost everyone: ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry! How long does he have to live?’ EXCUSE YOU?!?!’
“I remember the first time I heard someone ask me how long he has to live, and I played it off. I was like, ‘No, he’s fine!’ But then I quickly googled it as my heart raced, thinking he would die soon. My mother is a quiet one. I’d only get one-worded responses.”
‘I caught myself telling my 2-year-old son today, ‘You’re just like your daddy.’ I wanted him to act and look like me. I hoped he’d possess some of my qualities.’
“It stopped me in my tracks after it rolled off my tongue. All of us want to see a little bit of ourselves in our children. But the older I get, the more I see his daddy in him. I’m raising a daddy’s boy.”
‘You need your husband’s permission.’ I begged. I didn’t feel maternal. I was told I’d ‘change my mind.’: Woman speaks up after refused sterilization procedure multiple times
“Every year during my annual exam, I asked to have my ‘tubes tied.’ My doctor always quickly refused. As I aged, I still didn’t want kids and neither did my partner. This time around, I was about to lose my health insurance. I was told the procedure was ‘reserved for women in their 30s or 40s who had at least 2 children.’ As an adult woman, I needed my husband’s blessing to make decisions about MY body. I was stunned.”
‘I was standing in line at the grocery store when I heard, ‘Excuse me, could you turn around? I would like to read the front of your shirt.’: Woman loses brother to addiction, reminded ‘you’re not alone’ by kind strangers
“At first, I didn’t think anything of it. I said, ‘Of course!’ When they saw it, they crossed themselves.”
‘I quickly fell in love with the lover behind my screen.’: Woman warns of online predators after childhood catfishing scare
“In a few weeks, we progressed from talking about our likes and dislikes to becoming ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend.’ He kept asking to come to my house. Finally, that day would come. My heart skipped a beat. I was 11, and he looked about 45.”
‘You’re so lucky, you won’t have to get fat.’ She walked away laughing. Anger ran through my body.’: Woman’s harrowing journey with infertility, 3 failed adoptions
“She had recently given birth and stood there holding her adorable, tiny, perfect baby as the words came out of her mouth. I remember the pain and shock as she said those words to me. I cried into my pillow, ‘I’m not lucky, I am cursed.‘ But it wasn’t the end of our story.”
‘My principal told me, ‘Some kids just like to be bullied.’ She stared squarely at my parents. ‘Unless it involves blood, don’t call me.’ I felt so alone.’
“All of my materials were stolen and vandalized. I would barter with my bullies. ‘If you’ll be nice to me for one lunch hour or recess, I’ll give you my lunch.’ I literally gave them everything I had, but everything wasn’t enough. There wasn’t a single morning I didn’t beg my mother to not make me go.”