“My heart broke. When did we decide it was okay to pit each other’s struggles against each other? When did we decide it was okay to compare each other’s grief?”
‘She was struggling to feed her kids. ‘You can get another job, but you can’t get a life back. Quit whining and be thankful you’re not part of the death toll.’: Woman says ‘it’s okay to mourn and struggle with change’
‘Every night, we create these letters for hospice patients and nursing home residents who aren’t allowed visitors right now.’: Family share acts of kindness for ‘lonely’ elderly during pandemic
“There are so many people out there unable to have their loved ones visit them at all. Knowing how scared and lonely this time may be for them just breaks my heart.”
‘Today my dad walked over 4 miles to my house so he could see baby Elliana through the window…again.’: New dad urges ‘stay home for the grandparents who want to hold their new grandchild more than anything’
“While my wife was pregnant, I don’t think an hour went by where my dad didn’t brag about becoming a grandpa soon. Now, his granddaughter is finally here and the only thing he can hold are pictures. It breaks my heart. If this grandpa can resist coming inside and loving on his first grandchild, I know the rest of us can do this too.”
‘My husband got a ‘work pass’ today to prove why he should be out and about when most of the world is on lockdown.’: Woman urges ‘check on your friends’ financially affected by pandemic
“I don’t like the idea of him stepping into harm’s way, but I also can’t help but think of those without a ‘pass’ or a steady income at such an uncertain time. These are our neighbors, our playdate friends, our hair stylists, and servers at our favorite restaurants. Let’s remember to check on them, too.”
‘A month after my father’s death, I decided to give my 2 weeks notice. I need to sort myself out and return to my roots.’: Young woman reconnects to her heritage with DNA test and a refugee
“He died, suddenly. Unfortunately, after his death, his side of my family turned very sour. We lost communication. The only thing I had in terms of clues of where I was from, was the $89 DNA saliva test I took just four months before, and a memoir my Greek Grandfather, Papou, wrote before he died.”
‘I went to the hospital in labor. All the doors were locked. Our baby decided to come early. We escaped with a ‘normal’ birth experience by the skin of our teeth.’: Mom grateful son’s birth timing was ‘untainted by the coronavirus’
“I held my breath on the way out. Within 24 hours of our arrival home, the L&D ward where we had our sweet boy changed all their restrictions. Had he come one day later, my 4-year-old daughter wouldn’t have met her baby brother at the hospital. All those special moments would have been put on hold, lost forever. We hit the curve of timing by the skin of our teeth.”
‘I’m sorry, but I’m afraid Elijah can’t come back to daycare. We tried everything we could. It’s just not going to work.’ I was crushed.’: Single mom adopts son with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from foster care
“As I sat in my living room, holding my 7-month-old foster child, I half-listened to the psychologist explain the risks I was taking if I adopted him. I heard the words ‘drug abuse’ and ‘fetal disorder.’ I was told, ‘He is not the same sweet boy I once knew.’ I bounced this precious little boy on my lap who giggled softly on top of my knees. He was everything I could have ever dreamed.”
‘We’re going to forget much about these days. This life is beautiful, indeed. Even in the hardest of times.’: Mom says ‘we do not remember days, we remember moments’
“Days come and go. But we can do so much more with the moments. The next minute is a chance to make a change.”
‘The old man asked the cashier, ‘Do you have any toilet paper? Please, my wife is sick.’ He was exhausted and on the brink of tears.’: Man shares act of kindness for elderly man, ‘Now, more than ever, we need to look out for one another’
“I was at CVS picking up a prescription. I didn’t realize the gravity of the situation just yet. He replied, ‘No, I’m sorry. We won’t have any until next week.’ He was on the brink of tears. It took him so long to get from the counter to his car, I could just imagine the day he’d been having. ‘If you’d like, I’d be more than happy to help.’ His wife was resting in the car with an oxygen tank. My heart broke.”
‘My child started hiding canned foods in the garage. ‘I wanted to make sure we had enough, mom.’ I realized then that they were panicking, because I was.’: Mom urges for a calm in the storm, ‘Take a breath, your kids are watching’
“I told my kids to make sure they picked up a pack of TP every time they went into a store. Let’s be real, your kids know what’s going on. We are teaching them it’s okay to mow somebody down when they’re scared of something.”
