Based in New York City, Sophia San Filippo has worked with Love What Matters as a lead editor and content curator since early 2019 and has acted as Managing Editor since early 2021. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Binghamton University who holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is passionate about personal storytelling and creating a positive space in media to better the lives of others. On a typical day you can find her rocking out at her local concert venue, admiring nature, or baking her latest kitchen experiment.
Somehow I Am Always Pouring, Even Though My Cup Is Empty
“After a lot of protesting, ‘God, how can I do this?? How can I pour from an empty cup???’ it dawned on me. As a mom, that’s exactly what I am called to do.”
‘Off to the edge of the playground, I saw him. A dad walking closely behind his son, never allowing him to get more than a few feet away.’: Mom shares kind reminder for special needs dad
“I saw the son, his mannerisms – the way he walked on his toes, flapped his hands and stimmed. I knew instantly he had autism. He had mannerisms similar to my Gabe. I made my way over to him.”
‘Do you ever put that baby down?’ The question was unwarranted and filled with judgement.’: Mom urges ‘just hold the baby, you won’t regret it’
“You’ll blink and they’ll be walking. You’ll turn around and they’ll start running away from you. And you’ll wish you would’ve held them more when they let you. You’ll wish you could rock them to sleep again and watch those little eyes flutter as they’re dreaming.”
The Five Undeniable Stages Of Grieving
“No matter what you are grieving – a relationship, job, diagnosis, death, etc. – you will go through all these stages.”
‘They didn’t know he was dying when they took this picture, but he did.’: Widow shares powerful reminder to ‘keep showing up’
“They didn’t know as he stood there smiling, his organs were being attacked by tumors. They didn’t know his lungs, kidneys, stomach, spine, shoulders, thighs, intestines, abdomen – all of it was covered in cancer. And, they didn’t know he would die in just 58 days.”
‘Dear woman in Target, I’ve heard it before. That I ‘spoil’ her. That she’ll never learn to be ‘independent.’ If only you knew.’: Mom urges ‘spoiling her is the most important job I’ll ever have’ after taking in abused orphan
“If only you knew she spent the first 10 months of her life utterly alone inside a sterile metal crib, with nothing to comfort her. If only you knew how we will spend years trying to override the part of her brain that screams ‘trauma’ and ‘not safe.’ If you only knew this baby now whimpers when she’s put down instead of when she is picked up.”
‘So, we just take him home and that’s it, you just trust us with him?’ The nurse laughed. ‘Yep! He’s all yours.’: Mom delivers pandemic rainbow baby after 3 angel babies
“Part of me was joking, but the other part was serious. I hadn’t been able to protect my three babies before him. How was I going to protect this perfect human in the middle of a pandemic? I was terrified.”
Dear Special Needs Parents: My Lonely Hands Are Stretched Out, Waiting For You To Take Them
“The one who I can call at any hour of the night, because both our families are wide awake anyhow. That friend who sends memes of familiar frustrations, and follows up with ‘We got this,’ and ‘I’m always here.’ The friend who overcasts the heavy, uneducated opinions of others with her kindness.”
My Daughter Died Of Toxic Shock Syndrome—Here’s What You Need To Know
“If you use tampons then you run the risk of contracting it.”
‘She was the youngest in the oncology suite and people were staring at her pregnant belly. This was not a situation people were used to seeing.’: Breast cancer warrior delivers miracle baby girl
“‘You can take my hair, you can take my boobs, I just want to live.’ From the day of diagnosis, it was always clear. Alex was going to do everything and anything to not only fight for her own life, but to fight for TWO.”