“I breathed in deep, walked down the hallway. ‘Oh, there she is.’ I can look at this picture and tell you ten thousand ways I hate it. I disrobed to jump in the hot tub with a bunch of friends.”
‘Nobody commented on my bathing suit. Not only that. My butt. I’m sad now, you see. I was never a bikini kind of girl.’: Woman struggling with body positivity says ‘the world isn’t judging you like you think it is’
‘My doctor said, ‘It’s just part of being a woman. You have a lower pain tolerance.’ I was nicknamed ‘drama queen.’: Young woman diagnosed with endometriosis after 7 years of pain
“I always looked 6 months pregnant. My friendships dissolved instantaneously. My stomach was filled all the way from my bowels to my intestines, reaching close to my heart. ‘If you went on any longer, you could have died.’ Still, no one believed my pain.”
‘Can you take in 3 siblings? They’ve been in foster care 15 months and need parents.’ We cried tears of joy.’: Couple adopt 4 siblings from foster care, ‘They are our heroes’
“Sitting in traffic, my phone began to ring. My husband said very frankly, ‘Yes…Of course…When do you need us to come?’ He whispered, ‘Another sibling was born yesterday. They want him to join our family.’ He didn’t even have a name. I immediately began to cry and shook my head yes.”
‘I was a teenager, blacking out multiple times a week. I heard voices in my head saying, ‘Just end it.’: Recovering alcoholic details sobriety journey, ‘You are NOT alone’
“I was young, outgoing, had a car, a job, and a boyfriend. But I blacked out often. The truth is, I was barely holding on.”
‘I’m sorry to intrude. I don’t know you, but I saw you crying and I wanted to buy you flowers.’ Tears streamed down her cheeks.’: Stranger shows ‘priceless’ act of kindness, ‘We will never forget’
“I couldn’t believe my ears. I informed the lady, ‘Juanita has just lost her husband of 55 years.’ This kind stranger immediately wrapped her arms of love and warmth around my precious friend, and hugged her tightly.”
‘Can you take in a 9-month-old baby?’ A single twenty-something, I said yes to ‘a few weeks.’ I was prepared for temporary.’: Single woman becomes foster, adoptive mom to siblings
“I was supposed to be the short-term shelter in the storm. I had no intentions of permanency. Dead-set on only taking one kiddo at a time, I got a second call. ‘Can you take in his newborn baby brother? He was born premature.’ Suddenly, all my ‘rules’ went out the window.”
‘You’re embarrassing to be seen with.’ My BMI was too high. He told me, ‘I want to break up, I’m bored.’ I began starving myself for his attention.’: Woman urges ‘never let anyone determine your worth’ after nearly-fatal eating disorder
“‘If I can make my body exactly how it was, he’ll want me again.’ I used Lent as an excuse for my new ‘diet.’ My doctor said, ‘If you catch a cold, your body won’t be able to fight it off.’ Sean immediately took note of my body changes. I was creating a monster.”
‘I’ll have you pregnant in no time!’ I held my breath at the ultrasound. I’ll never forget the panic in their eyes.’: Mom births rainbow baby after losing son in utero, ‘Never stop fighting’
“The name of the contest was ‘Mojo Gives You a Baby.’ You won a free round of IVF. We decided to go for it. It was our miracle! We decided to try for a sibling.”
‘I woke up on my wedding day to the phone ringing. ‘Come down right away!’ It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t fate.’: Twice widowed woman recounts sudden losses of fiancés, ‘There’s no shame in grieving’
“I remember a deafening silence and then a loud scream, ‘MIKE!!!’ I ran until I collapsed and heard the sirens.”
‘Can I go to the nurse’s office?’ I was dizzy, ready to faint. My teacher turned to me and said, ‘Absolutely not. Sit down.’ She didn’t believe me.’: Young woman recounts journey with Type 1 Diabetes
“In a slight state of shock, I asked again. ‘It’s an emergency.’ She continued to dismiss my requests and began completely ignoring me. She didn’t believe me. Furious and embarrassed, I walked out of class against her will. I hid my illness from the world.”