“Two days after Christmas, my mother gave me a ring that was my grandmother’s. I was gratefully teary upon receiving it, knowing my mother was giving it specifically to me, trusting me with a special heirloom. Panic began to set in.”
‘I frantically searched the restroom of the store, including the trash, taking one paper towel out at a time.’: Woman reunited with lost family heirloom thanks to honest employee
I Left My Toxic Marriage To Become A Single Mom By Choice, And It’s The Best Thing I Ever Did
“I don’t expect a white knight, and we don’t need to be rescued.”
8 Weeks Postpartum, I Began Planning To End My Life—Here Is My Story
“The adrenaline subsided and the reality of life set in. I was breathless and frantic, on high alert for disturbance and danger every minute of the day and night. A cloud of depression and dread lowered. I was one of the lucky ones.”
‘She was almost not human with see through skin, so small she’d fit in the palms of our hands.’: Mom shares surprise pregnancy, micro-preemie’s NICU journey
“At 26 weeks, I just didn’t feel right. I started throwing up and noticed some off-color discharge. I began to have red flags come up, but I kept telling myself it was fine and I shouldn’t worry.”
‘I promise to love you as my own. I promise I will be the best wife for your dad.’: Tearful bride surprises stepson with sweet vows
“I know I wasn’t there the day you came into the world, I wasn’t there for your first steps or your first words, but I promise I will be there for many more of your firsts.”
‘My dear husband, you made me a wife, but cancer made me a widow. I now understand the true meaning of a strong bond of love.’: Widow shares grief journey 1 year after husband’s death
“I now wish so badly you had told me how to do life without you.”
The Moment I Knew My Foster Son Belonged With His Birth Father
“Although the trauma I assumed he came from may indeed be factual, I was called to admit that Dad, too, was just a product of systemic failures. One day, you might get to go back to your world, back to your people. Back to your Daddy, with whom you belong.”
‘I wrote a book only 31 people bought.’: Woman shares powerful reminder ‘you get one life, please your damn self’
“You get one life. Just one. And you can’t spend another second of yours trying to please other people.”
‘I have cancer.’ But how?! I’m 27 years old. I just had a baby! She couldn’t grow up without me. I wouldn’t allow it.’: New mom battles rare, aggressive form of breast cancer
“I knew I was dying. I was a shell of the woman who had had a baby 7 months prior. The tumor had grown to take over half of my breast and the pain was unbearable.”
‘How do you tell parents their child may have a genetic defect with a flyer for the Special Olympics? We were angry and devastated.’: Mom shares Down Syndrome acceptance journey
“He made a fist and cocked it back. I could feel his fury. I remember reaching over, just an hour after surgery, and snatching his hand as he started to strike. It hurt like heck in my abdomen, but I couldn’t let him do what I wanted to do myself… hit that physician.”
‘My child shouted, ‘Mama, don’t forget wine’ in the aisles of the grocery store. I thought it was funny.’: Widow and mom shares journey with alcoholism
“I didn’t her every memory to be of me tipsy with a drink in my hand. Feeling grief without alcohol was the hardest thing I’ve had to do, but I had to walk through it and I’m proud of that.”
‘You were a dream, a miracle, a moment I thought might never happen to me again.’: Mom shares touching open-letter to last born, only son
“You refilled my heart with a certain kind of magic. You may have been last to find your way to my heart and arms, but my goodness, how much you were worth waiting for.”
‘When your big kid asks you to do something, say yes.’: Mom of teens shares important advice
“To be invited into their world is a privilege.”
‘I stood in front of the receptionist flustered, sweaty, and desperate to turn back time… and I started to cry.’: Mom shares important realization about self-kindness
“Sometimes it takes missing a turn and crying in front of a stranger to realize you’ve got some work to do in the department of self-kindness.”
My Reality As A Burnt Out Nurse
“This is nursing. This is why we are burned out. This is why nurses and CNA’s are leaving the profession.”
‘I was in heaven holding my baby, but my brain was spiraling. ‘We need to get you help.’ I thought I was crazy.’: New mom overcomes postpartum depression, ‘I can be the mom I’ve always wanted to be’
“I remembered all the times I heard, ‘When it’s all too much and you’re feeling like you could hurt yourself or your baby, put them in a safe place and walk away.’ I remember thinking it will never happen to me, then crying when I realized it was happening in that very moment. I had hit my breaking point.”
‘College essays. Refereeing kitchen cleanup so much you should wear stripes and a whistle. The adult wounds you can’t fix with bandaids and blankies.’: Tired mom of teens says ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way’
“I thought once my kids were older I’d have all sorts of time. And yet somehow I sit here, exhausted to my core. Still no time, still tired. Still wouldn’t have it any other way.”
‘There is something on the scan.’ If I was a betting woman, I’d have put everything on my strong, determined husband beating this illness.’: Widow shares grief journey after losing husband to melanoma
“This diagnosis would relentlessly fight against every treatment we tried. It all started with those six little words.”
‘We should be married,’ he said to my mom. She explained to him they had been married for 50 years.’: Caregiver to dad with Alzheimer’s shares journey, ‘I won’t regret the time I spend with him’
“I felt like I had been hit with a bag of bricks. I was sad, angry, and felt very defeated. When you care for someone with Alzheimer’s, it’s a constant grieving process. You grieve at the diagnosis, you grieve at every ‘milestone.’ I was dealing with grief even though my dad is still alive.”
‘Like typical bible college kids, we got married young, and 9 months later we were pregnant.’: Mom shares journey to 6 biological and adopted children
“Here we were in a tiny town, in the middle of nowhere with very little support, a child with a new and scary diagnosis, and a baby who never stopped screaming. Just to be funny, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive.”
‘We should see a couple’s therapist.’ He wondered if he wanted to marry me after all. Then, he left.’: Woman goes on self discovery journey while grieving breakup
“I met a man I truly, deeply loved. My life seemed perfect; all of my dreams were coming true. But in those moments, glimpses of darkness flashed before my eyes.”
‘Santa patted her leg, asked her to stay. ‘What was that about?’ She broke down. ‘My only wish is for my best friend move back home.’: Santa goes above and beyond to comfort heartbroken girl
“I’m sure the company he works for would rather he push the kids through as fast as possible to make their money. Regardless, he took the extra time to truly LISTEN to a 10-year-old little girl and comfort her heartbreak.”
‘9 months of growth for us both.’: Mom shares powerful postpartum images, ‘Just like the Phoenix, I have been rebirthed into the truest version of me’
“When I birthed her into this world, I had no idea I also would be totally reborn. My life and body is only going one way and that’s forward.”
8-Year-Old Musician Stuns With Classical Ukulele Covers
Watch her breathtaking performance.
‘One year and ten months later, I’m still feeling overwhelmed by the pandemic.’: Woman shares 2022 reminder ‘in today’s day, our willingness to show up is enough’
“I’m carrying the weight of all things, feelin’ all the feels, crying all the cries, sighing all the sighs, and running the gamut of moods and emotions like I’m freakin’ Usain Bolt, praying my sanity is to be found at the finish line. And I should resolute. To improve upon my shoddiness. But instead, I’m not. I’m just not. Not this year. Not this girl.”