“You’ll find yourself in situations where it’s better to tuck away an open hand and lay down an iron fist. I hope you learn to trust your gut. Because as long as you choose your words wisely and with good intentions, you will never fall short.”
Dear Daughter, Kindness Doesn’t Always Come First
Why I’m Done Explaining My Decisions
“I’m through with unnecessary excuses and apologies and rationalizations for the choices I believe are best for ME.”
I Was Released From Prison 11 Years Ago—That Night, All I Could Think About Was Going Back
“But I had the strength within me and around me to be a better man.”
‘My circle may be small, but the love is big.’: Mom shares importance of having supportive friends
“Once I became pregnant, I realized who my true friends were.”
‘I hated my life, hated being different. I’d hit rock bottom, to the point where I didn’t want to live anymore.’: Mom survives sexual assault, toxic marriage to find self-love
“This little baby woke up a dormant side of me I had been too afraid to show to the world. I knew then that I couldn’t be the best mom to my child by living in fear. It was time for me to learn to live authentically.”
‘I was refused service. I lost my wallet, most of a weekend. More importantly though, I lost patience with the whole cycle.’: Woman shares journey to 6 months sober
“I drank to oblivion almost every day and woke up often not knowing whose house I’d slept in until I opened my eyes. But with my wedding coming up, I wanted a clean break.”
Teacher Buys New Outfit To ‘Twin’ With Boy Hurt Over SpongeBob Shoes
“The shoes my son lit up when he saw, was so careful to protect, and was so proud of, now didn’t feel right and were too hard to put on.”
The Life Of A Stay-At-Home Mom: ‘Today I Quite Literally Cried Over Spilt Milk’
“It broke me, but it wasn’t why I sat in my car and cried like a big fat baby.”
‘You’re going to die at any moment.’ All I could say was, ‘Good.’: Anorexia warrior shares journey to recovery, ‘I deserve this life’
“Living in a malnourished state made me OBSESSED with food. I would spend my spare time walking around supermarkets staring at food, picking food up, and buying food for other people to fill some sort of void.”
Don’t Tell Her How To Grieve—You May Not Be The One She’s Missing, But You’re The One She Has Left
“Your quiet presence may be all she needs to make it through.”
‘Mommy, can you give me one of your arms so I can have two real ones like my friends?’: Mom shares lessons from child born with Amniotic Band Syndrome
“I gulped back tears and explained it wasn’t medically possible. His reply would be my first lesson.”
I Lost A Life-Saving 130 Pounds, And Fad Diets Had Nothing To Do With It
“263 lbs, I loaded the stroller and walked 3 miles a day. Rain, wind, or shine.”
‘She buries her head sobbing, pleading, ‘Don’t let me go.’: Mom explains true meaning of fostering children
“She is leaving everything she grew to love. Everything she wanted her life to be. Everything we built. Carefully, I go into her bedroom. Everything is gone now; the toys, the clothes, the jewelry box with the little ballerina. I sit on the bed and recall the conversations, the questions, the hugs given. And slowly, through hot salty tears, I realize I am smiling.”
‘My children are back home safe.’: 4 children rescued from kidnapper after caught running red light
“‘Do you know this woman?’ The 11-year-old shook his head, no.”
‘Can I give you these shoes?’: Rabbi shares powerful act of kindness for barefoot subway passenger
“If one sees another person in a difficult situation, it is our job to help them out.”
‘She’s not a tally on the task list. She’s who I’m doing it for.’: Mom shares turning mundane tasks into magical moments for kids
“It doesn’t have to be a chore. The cleaning, the mundane daily master list… that’s the experience.”
‘Yes, I’m so lucky. I only had to sacrifice my hormones, my social life, and mental wellbeing. But hey, at least I’m lean!’: Woman shares anorexia recovery, road to healthy pregnancy
“It didn’t hit me when my heart rate was at 40 bpm and the doctor called cardiology in a panic. Or when I was freezing cold in the summer heat. Or when I woke up at 3 a.m. every morning, dripping in sweat. I finally realized something was wrong when I stopped loving my dog.”
Parenting Feels Like An Open Invitation For Criticism
“When I became a mom, I was shocked by the amount of unsolicited advice I received. The mommy shaming train took off the second I got pregnant.”
‘I spent all day making this happen for him. But instead of excitement and joy, there was panic, anger, regret, sorrow, and rejection.’: Mom works through the trauma of adoption
“I knew that moving his bedroom was a risk to my ‘parent of the year’ title, but I needed to test the waters of the ‘handling change’ part of his brain.”
‘Make no mistake, we didn’t adopt because it’s hard or good. We chose to adopt because it matters.’: Mom emphasizes both struggle and beauty of adoption
“We had so many misassumptions of ‘what we wanted’ going into the process. We were nervous, excited, and completely clueless.”
‘We’re creating our own family by the heart.’: Woman adopts family friend from broken home, former foster daughter as adults
“I’ve looked at others’ family relationships and wondered, ‘What is that like?’ When Connie expressed how she knew what it was like to have a mother now, it touched me deeply. We’re creating our own family by the heart.”
‘She said no one would ever hire me again. I quit college and gave up on my dreams.’: Woman with amniotic band syndrome shares story, ‘I wouldn’t change anything’
“I thought my family and friends would be better off without me. Living with scars and all of the pain, insecurities, and fears they caused felt too hard. I felt like a burden, without purpose or worth.”
‘I went to uncurl the fingers on her left hand and realized she had none. I couldn’t sleep not knowing what this meant for her.’: Mom shares journey learning about daughter’s limb difference
“‘At least you know she’ll be right-handed!’ the nurse joked. There was a wave of grief when I realized someone may pull back their outstretched hand when her nubbins reached for it. Education is the key out of the shadows.”
‘How can I feel so much loss at a time I am the most grateful?’: Postpartum mom shares ‘paradoxical emotions’ after giving birth to second child
“Nothing prepares you for how hard postpartum hits. With the colossal love for this new life comes grief our world has changed.”
‘I QUIT. I quit being a mother, a partner, a friend – I quit being all of it.’: Woman encourages taking breaks for mental health, ‘We can get through today and start anew tomorrow’
“In this freaking season of life and pandemic, so many of us are done, exhausted, depleted, suffocating, over it. I don’t think faking it ‘til we make it is going to get us through this.”