“My parents were told, ‘Only major reconstructive surgery will correct the anomalies.’ Because I spent most of my childhood in hospitals, I was playing catch up. My lack of confidence took its toll on me.”
‘Some days are harder than others.’ I get eyes darting at me as I’m walking down the street. It isn’t easy.’: Man with facial differences becomes motivational speaker, ‘It was worth all the pain’
‘Mom, I don’t like my hands.’ Her gloves always had an extra space. She came to me with her piggy bank, begging for four-fingered gloves.’: Little girl with limb difference ‘beaming with joy’ after gifted custom gloves
“For the first time, she realized she was ‘different.’ This was her cascading moment. This meant something. I put it out there, hoping for ideas, suggestions, anything. And the glorious interconnectivity of the internet answered back.”
‘We noticed some things about her hand and foot.’ Mom found doctor after doctor, even when they couldn’t do anything for me.’: Woman advocates for limb differences, ‘I tried until I got it right’
“A girl saw my hand and screamed like I was a monster. I cried every single day. My father held me after my surgeries when I was sick from anesthesia. He always showed he believed in me and I could do anything.”
‘I can’t understand you!’ I wrote it down on my hand. He started speaking slowly, as if I was less intelligent.’: Woman with facial anomaly hopes to ‘normalize all bodies’
“It’s exhausting trying to pump gas or sit in my kids’ karate class and be stared at constantly. When people see my face, they assume my intelligence.”
‘This clueless, white momma is humbly coming to you to ask for your help…’ I’d never met her. She was a stranger. ‘I can help.’: Woman helps adoptive mom learn to style African-American hair
“‘I need help. I don’t know how to style her hair.’ Stephanie and her daughter have different hair and skin. One of the questions people asked me was, ‘Why would a white woman adopt a black child?’ The only answer I had was LOVE! I immediately responded, ‘Let’s set a date and time.’ Every little girl deserves to look and feel great.”
‘I asked the doctor, ‘Are you sure they’re identical twins? They look nothing alike. I think you guys misdiagnosed them!’: Twin mom urges us to celebrate differences, ‘Every child has their own unique, extraordinary soul’
“One baby was much paler than the other and born 2 pounds lighter. ‘How could one be so different than the other?’ The science didn’t make sense. I had no idea of the world I would be thrown into. I started to feel like maybe something was wrong with my babies. They had two totally different souls.”
‘Mom, I’m an atheist.’ Our family is deeply religious. He appeared to be bracing himself for a battle.’: Christian mom says ‘I will love and accept my son NO MATTER WHAT’
“All I had to say was, ‘I could not be more proud of the man you are becoming.'”
‘Hey, Daddy. Come here. You’ve got to see this!’ I called out. She burst into tears, embarrassed.’: Mom learns valuable lesson on ‘parenting’ from husband
“We often describe our 10-year-old as ‘oblivious.’ We don’t mean it in a cruel way, she’s just often so blissfully unaware of what’s going on. Today, her shirt was on backwards. Again. Before Dad got to her room, she burst into tears, sad because her mother was laughing at her. He calls out, ‘Wait! I’m coming! Hold on one second.'”
‘That girl’s going to wish she didn’t sit by that nasty homeless chick.’ Patrons gave me side-eye.’: Woman encourages compassion after random act of kindness for homeless woman, ‘We’ve gotten so afraid to connect’
“After I placed my muffin on the table, I noticed a pile of filthy, worn bags filled with her belongings. A large piece of folded cardboard peeked out from the top of the bag. Immediately after I sat down, she asked me a question. ‘Have you seen any phone books anywhere?’”
‘It’s not where the work happens. It’s just our rest stop and place to refuel.’: Woman encourages others to realize church is not where Christians really need to be
“It’s in striving to understand and love those who see the world differently, and believe different things than we do. It’s in inviting those who are standing alone into our conversation, even if it makes you feel sweaty and awkward. It’s in standing up for what is good and noble and true.”
