“Those words stung. I heard them from beyond the bathroom door. I went home and cried before wiping away my tears. I have been shy and introverted my whole life. I am still shy, and I will probably always be shy. And that is OKAY! I’m done feeling inadequate for being myself.”
‘Kayla BARELY speaks. Is she stupid or something?’ That was it. I was done feeling sorry for being shy.’: Woman learns to accept herself as is, ‘there is nothing wrong with being an introvert’
‘Hey, Miss Samantha. Where’s your husband?’ I was home alone. ‘My GIRLFRIEND is on her way.’ I was disgusted.’: Lesbian couple urges they are not ‘too pretty to be gay,’ don’t ‘need any help’ from a man in their relationship
“I was home alone. 2 plumbers came over unannounced. Looking back, I probably should’ve asked them to come back another day, but I trusted the situation and let them in. I had my phone in my hand, texting my girlfriend to come over. I felt so uncomfortable. Both of their voices were very deep, in control. One of the men walked to the truck to grab something. He said he would be ‘right back.’ I was now left alone with the other.”
‘It’s been 5 years since I set foot in church. I have no intention of going back. It comes down to diapers.’: Special needs mom refuses to bring her kids where ‘they’re not fully embraced’
“Poop is where church ends. Poop is the special need that doesn’t get met by ministry. Believe me, I know that big kid pullups are not pretty. When the message finally got through to me, it broke me. My special needs boys were not wanted. They were only included if I was willing to meet all of the ‘unpleasant’ needs.”
‘Mom, I’ve decided something.’ My teen son came out as an atheist. My response? I simply said, ‘Okay.’: Christian mom accepts son’s lack of faith, ‘love is our spiritual center’
“Our family is deeply, extremely religious. Christianity shapes our values, traditions. My son seemed surprised by my reaction. Perhaps he was expecting a big, long argument. He was bracing himself for battle. I have none to give. LOVE is our spiritual center. I could not be prouder of the man you’re becoming.”
‘Private conversations are not to be confused with public gossip. A good friend is hard to come by.’: Mom’s candid advice on adult friendships, ‘If you have one, hang on tight. Life is easier when you find your people.’
“Mean Girls is so 2004. It is not funny to exclude people on purpose. It is not cute to be nice to someone’s face and tear them apart the minute they leave the room. If you do it to others, it’s only a matter of time before you turn on me. Nice people are my kind of people.”
‘Are you excited your soon-to-be mother-in-law is staying for 2 weeks?’ Terrified, I accepted the invite. Was she putting on a show?’: Woman pens letter to mother in law after losing her to cancer
“I wished for a loyal man that would love me unconditionally and…a nice and loving mother in law. He wanted me to ‘learn’ about you all, not ‘hear’ or ‘read’ about you. As time went on and we grew closer, it was time for that first trip together. Minnesota to meet the ENTIRE family! I held your hand until your last breath.”
‘Am I adopted?’ I asked, tears down my face. She denied it. I was a teenager when I learned the truth.’: Woman finds biological father after adopted father passes, ‘I was a nervous wreck’
“My results were in. I was shocked at what I found. There was my biological father’s name. It was a parent/child match. I couldn’t believe it was true. ‘How did you find me?,’ he asked. My first question was, ‘Did you know I existed?’ He did not. I never believed this day would come.”
‘Teach your children to be kind. It’s so simple. For the record, ignorance isn’t bliss.’: Mom encourage others to see children with special needs differently, ‘It’s a beautiful thing’
“See a child spinning in circles—Don’t stare. See a child covering their ears in panic over a car horn—don’t sneer. See a ‘big kid’ wearing a diaper—mind your business. See a kid hitting themselves over and over—don’t roll your eyes. See a mom desperately trying to stop her child from having a meltdown—don’t try to ‘teach’ her how to parent better. Offer love. It’s so simple.”
‘I took a chance. I got a response. Y’all, I did it! I found them! I met my biological dad.’: Woman meets birth father she never knew, ‘I finally found the puzzle piece I didn’t know was missing’
“I never knew my biological father. My momma was dating a man, got pregnant, and they parted ways. She had me by herself. I was not told about any of this until I was 12 years old. That was the beginning of my downward spiral. I was acting out, angry at everyone. It ripped us apart. Then I took a chance and sent them each a message.”
‘My dad had an appointment with a funeral home director. It feels like a betrayal.’: Dad goes funeral home shopping for wife dying of Alzheimer’s, daughter feels guilty, ‘It feels like I’ve given up on her’
“There were several times this week my mom said something about death, dying, a funeral, or a body. One time, she actually said, ‘He’s just going to throw my body in the water.’ Does she know something?”
