“Let me tell you, those 5 minutes restored and filled my soul. Those 5 minutes were the best thing I did for myself. Because sometimes, life can be too people-y.”
Today I Learned The Power Of Restorative Silence
‘I pulled myself out of my office, empty and defeated, to a plate of DIY tacos and sparkling water.’: Husband’s sweet act of kindness for wife in need
“He knew I wasn’t feeling well. He knew I was exhausted. He knew I wasn’t feeling seen in many areas of my life. And so he took a few extra minutes to let me know he cares. This is what love looks like.”
I Am The Gray Area Friend
“Sometimes I forget to text my friends back. Sometimes I check in with them when it really counts. Sometimes I show up. Sometimes I decide deliberately to not reach out because it’s all I can do to keep the lid on my emotions from bubbling over.”
I’ll Always Hold Her, Even When She No Longer Fits In My Arms
“I’ll hold her little hopes and dreams. I’ll hold her in her sadness or fears. I’ll hold her up in prayer. And I’ll ALWAYS hold a place for her in the center of my heart. Because that’s what you do with your baby. You just hold ‘em every chance you get.”
Does Taking A Lot Of Photos REALLY Stop You From Living In The Moment?
“I hear it all the time. ‘Why are you always taking pictures?’ ‘Live in the moment and stop trying to take a picture.’ ‘Really? You want to take a photo?'”
This Woman Normalizing Unique Birthmarks Through Stunning Portraits Of Strangers Is A Breath Of Fresh Air
“In a world that prioritizes flawless skin and facial symmetry, I want my subjects to feel represented and beautiful.”
‘There were five doctors and nurses lining her bed. I knew this was much bigger than the terrible twos.’: Mom shares toddler’s strength in overcoming neuroblastoma
“The way she looks at life after all she has been through is something I aspire to have. I am so excited to watch her grow and enjoy life.”
When A Mama Says She’s Tired, She Means It
“Because a mama’s body? It is a sponge. Absorbing the entirety of the world around her. Those responsibilities she must hold and honor. The endless reel of worries. The flood of feelings she can’t prevent from drowning her heart. Guilt. Fear. Anguish. Heartache. Loneliness. Comparison.”
It’s Not My Turn To Spend My Days As I Please—One Day, I’ll Get My Turn
“It’s my turn to memorize the perfect squishiness of chubby baby faces. It’s my turn to heal boo-boos with a kiss. It’s my turn to cuddle and rock. It’s my turn for park days and playdates. It’s my turn to soak up the beautiful, exhausting, magic of motherhood while the turn is still mine.”
‘I saw a photo of a friend and her brand new baby. For a moment, I felt it again: the days of a mama who is in it.’: Woman sympathizes with new moms beginning parenting journey
“No sleep, all adrenaline, high on love, low on hormones.”
‘Hey babe, we need a new showerhead. I broke ours trying to fix it.’ I wasn’t mad. I was proud.’: Wife talks overcoming fear of failure, shares new things to try
“Five years ago my husband wouldn’t have attempted to take apart a showerhead to fix it; he would have bought a new one without a second thought. Five years ago he would have rather missed an opportunity than try and fail.”
‘We deserve honest and direct answers about our biology.’: Adoptee advises adoptive parents on creating healthy foundations for their children
“I was discouraged from ever mentioning my mother. Until 13, I didn’t even know her name. Our curiosity is not a threat; your jealousy is.”
‘I heard my daughter’s name be announced as a ‘Nichols’ in the courtroom, and I Immediately sobbed.’: Mom reflects on emotions of foster-to-adopt journey
“We did everything we could to support her biological mother. Sadly, it became clear reunification would not be possible. I remember feeling that we would adopt her, but it was not an easy path.”
‘Wow, you’re looking great, you’ve definitely lost some weight!’ ‘Tell me your secrets!’ I truly was living a double life.’: Woman battling eating disorder says ‘I refuse to let it beat me’
“I won’t lie, I loved it. I loved the praise, the increased Instagram likes, the attention. I always saw myself as the chubby awkward girl and was in awe of my skinnier friends, but now I had a chance to be like them, to be accepted.”
‘Remember my son’s name, because he taught the world that there is no shame in being autistic or being different.’: Mom expresses need for understanding after mean comment
“’He’s wearing earmuffs, and it’s warm out so I’m guessing he’s a r*tard.’ Days like these make me realize there is so much work to still be done.”
‘In the children’s ward, I learned to play the piano by ear. I discovered a whole new side of me, and there was no going back.’: Visually impaired DJ, musician shares sight loss journey
“If my vision fails, I know I can still play and teach. That is what keeps me going. There is no plan B. There is only this.”
‘I sat up for weeks on end googling ‘how to be happy.’ I was looking for happiness in every single place except from within.’: Traumatic brain injury survivor overcomes battle with depression after break-up
“Without even realizing it, my whole identity was that relationship. So when the relationship came to an end, I almost did too. I didn’t know who I was, what I liked, or where I was heading.”
I Gave Birth To All-Girl Quintuplets
“The tech said, ‘Baby A-girl, baby B-girl, baby C-girl, baby D-girl, and baby E-girl.’ Later, we found out our girls were only the 2nd set of all-girl quintuplets in the US.”
In Between The Deadlines, The Schedules, And The Laundry, Don’t Forget To Pause And Notice The Beauty Around You
“When our kid’s giggles don’t make us pause and say a quick prayer of thanks, when our spouse touches the small of our back and we can’t feel that quick burst of love, or when we can’t see the presence of the divine in the nearby wheat field, the swaying palm trees, or the mountains, it’s time to create a pause.”
I’m The Girl With Retinitis Pigmentosa Growing Blinder Each Day
“Society’s expectations for blind and visually impaired people are extremely harmful and outdated.”
You Can Move On From Grief, Without Leaving It Behind
“During my mom’s ten-year battle with Alzheimer’s, I put my life on hold in so many ways that I stopped living it altogether. I eventually realized just getting by was no way to live my one and only life. I felt like moving on meant leaving her behind, but I eventually learned I had it all wrong.”
In Our House, We Chose The Dinner Table
“Autism makes you choose things. It makes you look at your life and decide what matters—what you’re willing to work for and sweat for and defend and build. Through all the chatter and the plates and the food, we told this boy that here, in this house with this table and this family, he matters. He matters.”
Why The Narcissist In Your Life Still Wants To Remain Friends
“If your narcissist wants to remain your friend soon after a breakup or even contacts you to establish friendship years down the road, save yourself the grief and just don’t do it.”
Why I’m Saying No To Visitors After The Birth Of My Next Child
“This newborn isn’t here to please others. She’s here to join OUR family.”
To Anyone Contemplating Suicide, Please Stay
“You are loved. You are wanted. Life doesn’t always have to be this hard. And there is more than one way to remove the pain and suffering you’re experiencing.”