“I was flooded with support, but also stories of ‘my aunt had it and she died’ or ‘my sister’s friend had it twice and she’s great now.’ I didn’t want the pink-washed version of cancer. I didn’t need you to tell me to write my kids goodbye letters. My story was different.”
‘Your cancer is aggressive.’ I replied, ‘Great, so am I.’ I was the youngest one in the oncology suite by 30 years.’: Breast cancer survivor celebrates three years cancer free, ‘I chose not to let fear define me’
‘I spent my whole life trying to fit in, suppressing the things about me that made me different.’: Woman diagnosed with autism at 41
“I put on a show for the sake of others, all the while denying myself the opportunity to live authentically.”
‘Just 10 months after our divorce was finalized, AJ took his own life.’: Divorced widow navigates grief with rare identity
“Was I a widow? Or was I just the ex-wife? I was still the mother of his child, but we weren’t in an active relationship at this time of his death. What and who did this make me? I’d lost the man I loved, but I wasn’t granted extended bereavement time off work. There was no GoFundMe pages created to help with the unexpected funeral costs. His sudden death had me questioning everything, including my identity.”
People Are So Much More Than Their Appearance, And It’s Time We Recognize It
“No one was proud of me for walking through hell—domestic violence, separation, abandonment at 4 months pregnant while raising a toddler and autistic child and simultaneously maintaining a career. But they went out of their way to express their pride when I lost 40 pounds.”
‘We’re about to have a HARD conversation.’ This was my 7th baby, it COULDN’T happen to me.’: Mom shares journey with organ donation, pregnancy after loss, ‘Your baby is loved and remembered’
“Even though she didn’t get to stay, a mama SOMEWHERE was going to get to hold her baby a little longer.”
‘You’re awkward around me. You keep away. You used to know me as so and so’s wife. But now I’m just a so and so.’: Newly divorced woman urges friends ‘treat me like a person still’
“I’m not diseased. I’m not to be pitied or swept under a rug. I’m not broken. It takes two to make a relationship and two to break it. And two hearts to break even more when people pick sides. If you ever find yourself in my shoes (and I pray you never do), I hope no one treats you like this.”
‘We like to have girls’ nights. Who understands the struggles of parenting better than Beckham’s OTHER mom?!’: Mom and stepmom detail journey to cooperative co-parenting
“We had the choice of either staying miserable, or changing our story to become positive and full of hope. No matter how lost, difficult or heartbreaking your co-parenting situation might be, it CAN be changed.”
‘My husband said he wanted a divorce. I walked out of the hospital to find miracle number TWO was on its way.’: Mom details journey to co-parenting, ‘It’s not easy, but it is always worth it’
“We show the kids just because we aren’t IN love, doesn’t mean we can’t still SHOW love and be a family.”
‘How did we get here?’ After 12 years, we turned into unrecognizable strangers. I was 27, a mom to the sweetest boy, and getting divorced. This wasn’t the plan.’: Single mom takes the risk, meets ‘knight in shining armor’ on Tinder
“My friend encouraged me to make a dating profile. ‘Find 3 guys you feel a connection with, give 2 your number, and go on a date with 1… ‘ I found myself driving towards Applebee’s, my heart racing. I just wanted to get ‘this’ going or over with, then my phone rings. ‘Ashton – Cute Tinder Guy’ flashes across my phone screen. Time and my breathing stop.”
‘I was young, married, and having fun, then kids changed everything.’: Single dad of 3 details navigating life with kids post-divorce
“Life changed, my priorities changed, and we grew apart. Our family may look different, but the most important thing is that we are together and home is anywhere we are at.”
