“I just hope you know how grateful I am for you even when I’m tired, worn down, and I don’t show it. Most of all, I hope you know I love you big even in those I-don’t-like-you moments.”
‘Dear husband—I love you, but I don’t like you. Not all the time.’: Woman pens appreciation letter to husband, ‘I love you even in those I-don’t-like-you moments’
‘I hugged him tight. ‘What?’ he said, very confused. ‘I know it’s just a freaking pan, but that made me feel so heard.’: Woman reminds us ‘it’s the littlest things that can bring the most joy’
“We have kids. Our lives get messy and busy. Somedays, when we talk to each other, we get distracted mid-conversation by our kids, our phones, and just life. Sometimes I don’t feel heard. But yesterday, he came home with a pan.”
‘My husband and I sleep in separate rooms. For 11 years, he’s been downstairs while I’m all the way up in my private mom-cave.’: Woman urges ‘every couple is different, do your thang!’
“I get the ‘ohhhhhhh’ look. Like my marriage is one step away from separate houses and eventually separate lives. ‘But what about cuddling? What about SEX?’ they ask. I feel like this is something I needed to get off my chest.”
‘Where are you right now? If you’re still there, you need to get out! You need to tell your mom.’: Woman finds happiness after years of abuse, neglect
“We went from talking almost every night to talking almost every month. ‘Shelainea, you need to tell your mom.’ The divorce took a toll. She changed for the worst. ‘You shouldn’t be going through my phone!’ I couldn’t believe she was doing this to me.”
‘This is getting old. We’re done here. Goodbye.’ I suddenly felt a moment of empowerment.’: Woman shares moment she ‘woke up’ and decided ‘enough was enough’
“Somehow, the conversation led to relationships. We were just having a typical, texting conversation. I’m not entirely sure where this intense, urgent feeling of freedom came from. We were just having a typical, texting conversation. I was acting SO ridiculous and I suddenly felt a moment of empowerment.”
‘You won’t carry a child.’ I never got a period. I’d memorize pill brands, so I wouldn’t flag as ‘not-quite-woman.’: Woman with MRKH Syndrome finds purpose in advocacy
“I was a child learning I would never carry a child. I had the option for treatment. I would be upstairs doing this painful and intrusive act, while my family was desperately pretending I wasn’t. I felt defected and apologetic for not being ‘complete.’”
‘Don’t wait for the guy. Order the takeout, draw the boundaries. Stop buying lavish gifts for family and friends and save up for that laptop you wanted.’: Woman urges ‘happiness starts when you stop waiting’
“I wish my younger self could have told my current self that waiting is just wasted time. Happiness starts when you stop waiting for someone else to save you and make you happy.”
‘Fat, lazy, worthless.’ Cue an incredibly nasty divorce. Jobless with a cleaned-out bank account, I needed public assistance to feed my children.’: Divorced mom details self-worth journey, ‘Give yourself permission to be all you are’
“I went from a stay at home mom of four to having two boys I loved ripped away from me. I had to apply for assistance to feed my children. He had a ‘committed’ relationship, closer to home, which everyone seemed to know about except me.”
‘Want me to hook you up with him?’ Feeling repulsed, I said, ‘Um, no. Why would I want to do that?’ Talk about a mic drop.’: Friend’s advice helps woman leave unhappy relationship, ‘Guard your heart’
“He lied to me more than once. He talked about his ex-wife regularly, and he attacked and criticized my feelings. But at that point, we were already in love. My friend then told me, ‘I just described your boyfriend.’ Talk about a mic drop.”
‘We decided it would be fun to re-introduce Lizzie and Sam. Their enormous smiles are a direct result of Angie’s single act of kindness from 15 years earlier’: Mom of autistic daughter says, ‘we never know when kindness will come back’
“Angie confided, ‘Why don’t you take our appointment? I will call the doctor and set it up.’ The kindness Angie showed me when I was feeling such deep desperation has always stayed with me. They both shared a positive outlook on life which is contagious. Lizzie and Sam hadn’t seen each other in over a decade!”
