“‘I don’t have a mother.’ They see ‘mommies’ come to pick their kids up every day. ‘We searched everywhere for you, baby.’”
‘Are you my birth mom?’ I fought tears. ‘She searched all over for a Daddy and Papa who’d take care of you.’: Dads discuss blessing of open adoption
‘I’m stuck at my parent’s with a baby I don’t deserve. My 19-year-old body was overwhelmed.’: Mom forgives herself for her past, embraces blended family
“‘I don’t deserve to mother him.’ Am I mom or a person? He was too perfect and I was too flawed. I had to forgive myself.’”
‘It’s like being stung by a thousand bees.’ No one knew why I was in pain. And no one knew why the pain was spreading.’: Woman describes journey with Lyme disease, ‘It made me who I am’
“Even a feather-light touch could send me screaming in agony. It felt like I was being stabbed in my spine, over and over again. At a time when I could’ve really used a hug… I couldn’t receive one.”
‘I was terrified of being ‘found out.’ I was taught by my church I wasn’t allowed to love, I was either ‘of God’ or ‘of Satan.’ It nearly cost me my life.’: LGBTQ man shares childhood trauma, homophobic upbringing, ‘We are poisoning a generation’
“At that moment I knew I had made a big mistake. I knew I shouldn’t have been there. I knew it was time for me to go. As I started to look for a way out, I was approached by an older man who said, ‘You look lost.’ In this world, I didn’t have to hide ‘what’ I was. I felt desired, special, and adored.”
‘What you see is what you get. If you only see the world’s problems, THAT’S what you’ll get.’: Woman urges ‘focus on what gives you peace’
“And nothing has been harder than having to try to stay in your lane, live purposefully, mindfully, and with lasting gratitude, during the seemingly never-ending (and, perhaps, disastrous?) year that is 2020.”
‘This is where I snapped the last living photo of my kids.’ You’re not supposed to bury your children. Your kids are supposed to bury you.’: Mom loses kids in car accident, discovers outdated car seat safety laws
“About an hour and a half into our trip, we stopped so Christine could have a smoke break. We pulled into one of those truck areas. This is where I snapped the last living photo of my kids.”
‘Something wrong, dear?’ The price of a turkey was more expensive than she thought. She laid out her coupons, anxiously watching the numbers on the register climb.’: Man recalls Thanksgiving act of kindness
“She counted her money, paused, and let out a heavy sigh. She was $4.00 short. The manager lied, ‘Susan, did you not see the sales signs we put out today? Everyone who buys a fresh turkey gets a free pumpkin pie. Take that pie off her bill, please.'”
‘I’ll be back in two hours. Wait for me.’ I squeeze you one last time, kiss your cheek, tell you I love you, and leave. I hate myself for going. I was supposed to BE THERE.’: Woman shares heartbreaking last days of mother with terminal illness
“This can’t be happening.’ You were supposed to wait for me. I jump out of the still-moving car and start running to the front door. I jump on the bed and cradle your head in my arms and sob something terrible. ‘Please come back! I love you.’ I cry and scream into my pillow after they take you away in that horrible, black body bag.”
I Battled Infertility, Then I Gave Birth To Triplets And A Set Of Twins
“‘How many embryos did you implant?’ I managed to squeak out, ’Two.’ There, on the screen, we saw THREE flickering heartbeats. It was a one in 10,000 chance.”
‘If she wakes up, she won’t be normal.’ I was alive, but in a coma. Only time would tell.’: Brain injury survivor details sobriety journey, ‘There’s a purpose in it all’
“We’d all been drinking at the beach. I fell to the ground and the person behind me ran over my neck. ‘She might not wake up.’ I had hit rock bottom.”