LJ Herman is a former editor at Love What Matters and lives in Colorado. LJ is a concert, ticket and technology enthusiast. He has seen the Dave Mathews Band over one hundred times and counting.
‘My town spent years trying to figure out this man’s secret. One rumor was Dave was a secret millionaire. Others speculated he was mentally ill and homeless.’: Mom remembers what’s important in life thanks to mysterious man from childhood
“Dave always dressed in a sailor uniform. One rumor was he was a certified genius, who found the most happiness dancing on the side of the street. Whenever somebody honked or waved, Dave would dance a little dance, then smile and tip his hat. I can close my eyes and recall that happy little shuffle. He was captivating.”
‘I hit bottom. Knees to the ground, ugly tears in the shower. My friends stepped in. They didn’t ask what I needed because honestly, I’m in so deep I have no idea what I need.’
“We have three new foster children and the trenches of trauma and grief are deep. My village stepped into the trenches and sat with me. They didn’t ask me what I needed, they just started providing.”
‘I hid my habits. On the way to visit my boyfriend, I’d down a burger in my car, hide the evidence, then go to dinner a few hours later like a proper lady. Salad only, please.’: Woman struggles to find her self worth
“When I moved, all the women looked like movie stars. Blonde with bountiful boobs, thin waists, and faces full of makeup. I went for a haircut and told the stylist I felt so out of place; I’d never be able to compete with these women. He stopped his snipping just long enough to say, ‘Sure you will. If you’re willing to pay enough.’”
‘She had dark curls behind her ears, a tiny chin, and the most precious rosebud lips. I had never seen anything more exquisitely beautiful than her.’: Parents lose daughter to ‘cord accident,’ explain ‘We will never know why’
“My husband posted a photo of me with my pregnant belly in front of the window during a downpour complete with lightning the night before her due date. The caption read, ‘Watching the storm, waiting on the storm.’ If only we had known what we were in for.”
Dear Parents, Please Teach Your Children About Differences
“A beautiful person is found with the heart; not the eyes.”
‘You asked me today if I was okay. I lied and said, ‘I’m fine,’ but the truth is I’m tired. No, I am exhausted.’
“You’re probably wondering where that girl went that you married, and under her matted bun hair, tired eyes and cheese-stained clothes, she’s there. You probably miss her, and I do too. That’s why I need you to understand what I’m about to say.”
‘I received suspicious looks for being a grown man at the park at 2 p.m. with his kids. ‘It’s nice of you to do your wife’s job,’ is what they were really saying.’
“I ran into friends at the grocery store, and they asked me if I’d lost my job. All of it was maddening.”
‘We have a baby who cries for hours, with a mysterious rash. Bright red, with a distinct swirl-like pattern. We had fallen under the radar, but my mama instinct knew we were dealing with more.’
“We were prepared to keep pushing until we were satisfied! Then she paused. ‘Unfortunately I have something else very important to tell you.’ I looked over at Dane, unable to speak. His face was so pale I thought he was going to pass out. My heart now felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.”
‘It’s the nicest thing you can do for a mom. Getting hand-me-downs. Mothers giving other mothers their kids’ clothes that don’t fit anymore.’
“Getting a bag of clothes from another mom is like she’s giving you a piece of her heart. That little dinosaur t-shirt she packs in a bag to give to you reminds her of the adventures her little one had in it. They hold memories, and they hold love.”
‘Every night, I put a sign on our door that read, ‘Come in and kiss me. I didn’t cheat on you.’ Almost immediately after we were married, the abuse began.’: Woman overcomes domestic abuse
“I thought I hit the boyfriend jackpot, my knight in shining armor. He wined and dined me and spoiled me rotten. Within 2 weeks he decided it was unbearable to be away from me and was going to pack up his life and everything in it to be with me.”