“I didn’t know what to say at first. She went there. Without fear. Without hesitation.”
‘You must love him differently.’ I looked at her curiously. ‘Why?,’ I asked.’: Mom says autism has ‘never changed’ her love for her son, it’s as ‘simple as that’
‘Would you like help with his meth addiction?’ the doctor said. I was floored. Once everything was out in the open, our home became a pressure cooker.’: Mom escapes domestic abuse in wake of husband’s addiction, urges us to ‘trust our instincts’
“We ended up leaving 5 days before Christmas. The tree was decorated. Stockings hung. I tried to drag my babies out of their good time. I absolutely panicked. I wasn’t rational. But, panic, absolute real panic, is not rational. If I hadn’t left when I did, myself, my children, or all of us would’ve been dead.”
‘I stood up. ‘Screw this, I’m done! Get upstairs! You’re taking a bath!’: Mom credits ‘random post’ for reminding her water is the cure-all for her kids’ epic tantrums
“My husband committed one of the biggest flagrant fouls of parenting – he let our 4-year-old twins fall asleep at 5 p.m. He let our little Tasmanian devils outsmart him. I made everyone’s dinner, called the twins, and there was no answer. My husband turned to me. ‘Oh yeah, they’re sleeping.’ ‘They’re WHAT?’ I knew we were about to go to war.”
‘I didn’t make small talk. I didn’t hold the door open. I didn’t wave, and saw them mouth ‘rude.’: Woman admits we’re ‘all fighting battles no one knows about,’ but everyone ‘needs kindness’
“I overcompensate. I smile at strangers. I ask the check-out girl how her day’s really going. And I’m polite. Today I wasn’t. Today I was in my own world. I was quiet.”
‘I looked out at my husband and 4 kids swimming. They looked so happy and free. But I was in prison, writing my goodbye letters.’: Woman shocked by breast cancer diagnosis after getting second opinion, urges us to ‘trust our intuition’
“On the day of the results appointment, I walked into the office sipping iced coffee. I even took a few selfies in the exam room while I wore the breast-cloak. I was gearing up to announce my relief of a positive result on social media to my followers. The doctor came in, iPad in hand. She settled on a wheeled stool and cleared her throat. Then she said, ‘I never want to tell patients this, but it’s breast cancer.’ Just like in the movies, I went into a fog.”
‘That’s you!’ my wife said. I watched the TV screen carefully. Suddenly, my whole life made sense. I am autistic.’: Man discovers he’s autistic at age 32, now ‘happy, flourishing’
“Growing up, my mom always slapped me when I acted ‘weird,’ calling me ‘broken.’ I gave up on being loved and turned violent. I just felt angry all the time. I stopped caring about everything, especially myself, and contemplated suicide. Then, I met Sylvia. She understood me, she saw past the self loathing and the anger. She saw the real me, the loving me. She broke down the barrier I had put up to protect myself. I wanted to change for her. I wanted to deserve her.”
‘You have a better chance at winning the lottery than surviving this tumor.’ I was ready to give up.’: Woman survives ‘rare tumor’ despite all odds, now a ‘happy, free’ amputee
“My leg was a dead weight. I asked to have it removed and I was told it was ‘too drastic.’ I electively removed it myself and my life did a 180. I went from thinking ‘this is the best it’s going to get’ to ‘this is the best decision I’ve ever made.’ My only regret? I didn’t do it sooner.”
‘What do you mean he’s dead?’ My phone was crooked on my shoulder as I paid the cashier. I didn’t utter those words. I screeched them.’: Woman loses brother to Fentanyl drug overdose
“It was the first time both of my boys were in school. I was having an epic mom celebration of going to Starbucks, the grocery store, and doing other errands in blissful peace. Then it happened. In the check-out line at the grocery store, I got a call telling me my brother was dead. I must’ve lost it when I hung up because an elderly man approached me. ‘Do you need help?’ I told him I needed my dead brother back. He prayed for me right there.”
‘I bought a rope and began to hang myself.’ I was living a fantasy of mine. I didn’t see myself living past 30.’: Young woman survives addiction, multiple suicide attempts, says suffering has been her ‘greatest teacher’
“I was addicted to the act of numbing myself from the anxiety. I was so desperately seeking attention outside myself, not knowing I needed to learn to give it to myself. I have tried everything in my power to end my life. And, guess what? Nothing worked. Hi, I am still here! Life has seasons, just like us. What’s a sunny day without the dark clouds and rain?”
‘What do we do?’ I asked, tears in my eyes. My husband knew what I meant. ‘We’re bringing an orphan home.’: Couple adopt ‘fearless’ Vietnamese daughter with limb difference, paints ‘masterpieces’ without arms
“We started the adoption process for Haiti. However, 8,960 miles away, in Ho Chi Minh City, our daughter was being conceived. I saw her yellow sun dress, punk rocker hair sticking out all over her head, and a sassy look on her face that said ‘bring it on’ the world around her. It clicked. ‘Her.’ I didn’t even realize I was holding my breathe.”
