“Maybe you can do without the U.S Postal Service in your own little world. However, the country as a whole could not. When I put my uniform on each morning, I’m proud to wear it, and I’m proud of my job. You see, your mail carrier…they’re the front-line.”
“My boyfriend always said things like, ‘You just lack willpower,’ in a playful, mocking tone; as if what I dealt with wasn’t all that serious. He didn’t believe my inability to overcome my depression. He tore me down to the point where I felt my existence was something I wanted to end.”
“If your childhood was anything like mine, you grew up with your parents saying you were going to ‘be something’ one day. I was so hung up on this idea of what ‘success’ was. A 9-5 Monday through Friday gig, making more than $70,000 a year. I didn’t care if I was happy, as long as the job matched those criteria.”
“‘Mom, I’ve been thinking about something but please don’t say ‘no’ until I’ve said everything I have to say.’ I ended the conversation with, ‘I need to talk to dad about it.’ ‘But Daddy said yes!’ Apparently, guinea pigs are exempt from this unwritten rule.”
“The last text she sent me was, ‘I’m happy your husband died. You deserve it.’ At 3 a.m. in the morning, out of nowhere. Somehow, it hasn’t registered in her head that we are not ‘friends.’ She has been taking advantage of the pandemic to make me feel especially guilty.”
“Once I made my way to middle and high school, things became a struggle. A disability is a difficult diagnosis, yes, but it isn’t the be-all, end-all of your story.”
“I’m currently on a 5-day quarantine while I wait to get my test results back. I’m locked away from the kids while my husband manages all 3 of them AND works full-time. I felt an enormous weight lift off.”
“I would make an effort to hide my bump if we were at school or sports functions. The quips came out of the woodwork. ’They’re crazy! This will be the end of them…’ I tried to involve the girls as much as possible. I wanted them to feel the joy I was feeling.”
“We welcomed our baby into this world. It just so happened to be my brother’s due date. It’s a moment which sends CHILLS down my spine.”
“I am an ‘essential worker.’ A 9-1-1 emergency dispatcher to be exact. We’re feeling the change at work, just like all the other front-line people. I wish for you somebody who will carry your purse. Because sometimes, that’s all you really need.”
